Islamabad, Zubair kasuri The Pakistani government has issued a directive to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block all illegal Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) within the country. This move comes in response to growing concerns over the use of VPNs by terrorists to conceal their communications and facilitate illegal activities.
The Ministry of Interior, in a letter dated November 15, 2024, highlighted the increasing exploitation of VPNs by terrorists to plan and execute violent attacks, as well as to conduct financial transactions. Additionally, the government expressed concern over the use of VPNs to access pornographic and blasphemous content, citing Pakistan’s high ranking in the frequent use of VPNs to visit such sites.
The directive emphasizes the need to block only unauthorized VPNs, ensuring that legitimate and registered VPN users remain unaffected. To further regulate VPN usage, the government has mandated the registration of all VPNs with the PTA by November 30, 2024.
This decision reflects the government’s commitment to addressing security threats and curbing the misuse of technology for illegal activities. However, it remains to be seen how this move will impact legitimate VPN users and the broader digital landscape in Pakistan.