The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) crackdown on unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) entered its second phase on Sunday, according to sources. This phase will be a two-day exercise aimed at accelerating the registration and whitelisting of VPNs, with a deadline of November 30 for compliance.
After the deadline, the PTA will begin blocking unregistered VPNs starting in December. So far, more than 25,000 VPNs have been successfully registered under the ongoing initiative.
The PTA aims to streamline the VPN registration process, which is part of a broader effort to control the use of unregistered VPNs in the country. Similar measures have been implemented in countries such as China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, where unregistered VPNs are either blocked or restricted, with some countries allowing VPN usage only for business purposes. However, PTA sources confirm that Pakistan has no restrictions on VPN use for business purposes.
Meanwhile, users in Pakistan have raised concerns over issues with free VPNs, particularly regarding access to the social media platform X. Many users who previously relied on free VPN services to bypass restrictions are now experiencing difficulties, as these free services are reportedly no longer functioning effectively.
The crackdown on unregistered VPNs is expected to continue, with PTA officials stressing the importance of adhering to the registration process to avoid disruptions in internet access.
