The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) on Tuesday dispelled rumours and clarified that virtual private networks (VPNs) in the country were not being blocked.
The use of VPNs by local internet users witnessed a significant increase in 2024. Most people have been using them to access X, formerly Twitter, which has been blocked in the country since February 19.
A report by Top10VPN, an independent VPN review website, stated that the demand for proxy networks increased by 131 per cent on Feb 19, two days after X was blocked.
Quashing media reports about PTA planning to block VPNs in the country, the authority issued a statement clarifying there was no truth to such rumours. However, it encourages users to register their internet protocol (IP) addresses for using VPNs.
“Recent news circulating in media about PTA to block VPNs, it is clarified that VPNs are not being blocked in Pakistan,” the telecommunications regulator said in a statement.
“However, PTA is encouraging all IT companies, software houses, freelancers and banks, etc, to register their IPs for using VPNs so that in case of any disruption, the internet services to these entities are not affected.”
It further said that VPN registration was a “one window operation” available at the PTA and PSEB websites, adding that the process would take two to three days, and was free of charge.
In August, the authority’s head had told a parliamentary committee that the authority was working on a plan to regulate the use of VPNs in Pakistan by whitelisting some proxy networks and blocking others.
