The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has started blocking unregistered VPNs across the country.
As per sources, unregistered VPNs are being blocked through a firewall and are temporarily blocked for whitelisting.
PTA sources added that unregistered VPNs pose a security risk, as they can access sensitive data and illegal or objectionable content. The PTA is responsible for protecting public and organizational data and preventing access to illegal content.
According to PTA sources, VPN registration began in 2010, and over the last fourteen years, around 20,500 VPNs have been registered. More than 1,422 companies have registered VPNs so far.
Sources further added that the authority wants to speed up the VPN registration and whitelisting process. Countries like China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others have blocked unregistered VPNs. The UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia also block unregistered VPNs, and some countries allow VPNs only for business use. PTA sources say there is no restriction on VPNs for business use in Pakistan.
Notably, users in Pakistan have been complaining about issues using free VPNs for several hours. Many users relied on free VPNs to access the social media platform X, but they are now complaining that free VPNs are not working.
It is noteworthy that Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has banned the use of X in Pakistan. However, he frequently violates this ban by posting on X using a VPN.
