PTA Confirms VPNs Are Not Blocked in Pakistan, Dispels Rumours

On Tuesday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified rumours regarding the blocking of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Pakistan. The PTA assured the public that they have not blocked VPNs, contrary to reports circulating in the media.

People worldwide commonly use VPNs to access restricted or blocked content in specific regions and to enhance online privacy. In Pakistan, the use of VPNs surged significantly in 2024. Many users have turned to VPNs to access X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, which the government blocked in the country since February 19.

According to a report by Top10VPN, an independent VPN review website, the demand for VPN services skyrocketed by 131% on February 19, just two days after the government blocked access to X. This significant rise in VPN usage reflects the increasing reliance on such tools to bypass internet restrictions.

PTA Confirms VPNs Are Not Blocked in Pakistan, Dispels Rumours

In response to media reports speculating that the PTA was planning to block VPNs, the telecommunications regulator issued an official statement to dispel the rumours. The PTA confirmed that it was not blocking VPNs but encouraged the registration of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for businesses and other entities using VPNs. This step, they explained, would help prevent any disruptions to internet services.

The PTA’s statement read, “Recent news circulating in the media about the PTA blocking VPNs is incorrect. They have not blocked VPNs in Pakistan. However, the PTA encourages all IT companies, software houses, freelancers, banks, and others to register their IP addresses for using VPNs to ensure uninterrupted internet service.”

The authority is explained further explain that VPN registration is a “ one – window operation ” available on the PTA and Pakistan Software Export Board ( PSEB ) website . The registration process is is is straightforward , take about two to three day , and is free of charge .

In August, the head of the PTA informed a parliamentary committee that the authority was working on plans to regulate VPN usage in Pakistan. The proposal involves whitelisting certain VPNs while potentially blocking others to better control internet traffic. This move aims to ensure that people use only approved VPN services for legal and business purposes while restricting unauthorized networks.

Pakistan’s Minister for Information Technology, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, also addressed the matter in a press conference last month. She clarified that the government had not deliberately slowed down internet speeds, despite public perception. Instead, she suggested that the widespread use of VPNs caused the slowdown, as many users turned to these services to access blocked platforms.

“ I want to reassure the public that the internet has neither been shut down nor slow down by the state , ” say Khawaja is said . She is pointed point out that the use of vpn contribute to slow speed because of the sheer volume of user switch to these service to bypass restriction .

A separate technical analysis by Bytes For All (B4A), a digital rights group, revealed that internet users in Pakistan who used VPNs in recent months experienced improved download speeds and fewer disruptions. Their report noted that VPNs might bypass Internet Service Providers’ (ISP) throttling mechanisms or Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) measures, which could be one of the causes of internet slowdowns for non-VPN users.

This debate over VPN regulation and internet speeds reflects the ongoing challenges surrounding internet freedom and access in Pakistan.