PTA reveals final date to block illegal VPNs

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has set a new deadline to shut down illicit virtual private networks (VPNs) across the country, citing concerns that terrorists are using them for financial and violent activities.

According to the Interior Ministry, terrorists use virtual private networks (VPNs) to hide their connections and, thus, gain access to prohibited and blasphemous content.

Requests to limit unlicensed VPNs in order to mitigate significant hazards have arisen as Pakistan was found to be one of the top countries for using VPNs to access adult websites.

In order to address this issue, the government has mandated that any VPNs that are deemed illegal be blocked; registered users of VPNs are unaffected.

PTA VPN blocking deadline

Additionally, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) registration deadline for VPNs has been set by the government as November 30, 2024.

However, this is done to monitor VPN usage and prevent VPN use for illicit purposes. It should be noted that while unregistered VPNs are allowed, using them in Pakistan is illegal and carries a maximum fine of Rs500,000.

Social networking and instant messaging services are among the websites that Pakistani authorities have previously blocked and restricted access to online information.

There are also concerns about monitoring residents’ online activity, which raises privacy and surveillance issues.