PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman announced on Monday that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will intensify its efforts to block all unauthorized virtual private networks (VPNs) operating within the country.
Speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom in Islamabad, the chairman revealed that PTA has already registered 20,500 VPNs, and the regulator is pushing to expand that number. However, despite concerns about the increasing use of VPNs to access restricted platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Rehman clarified that immediate action against unregistered VPNs is not on the table yet. A more aggressive stance will be adopted once VPN registration efforts are fully realized.
During the briefing, the future of X in Pakistan came under scrutiny. Interior Ministry officials disclosed that its legal status is currently under review in the Islamabad, Sindh, and Lahore High Courts. The use of VPNs to bypass restrictions and access X was confirmed as illegal by the ministry, sparking questions from senators about the double standards. One senator pointed out that even the Prime Minister was allegedly using a VPN to post on X.
Further, another senator raised the issue of why Pakistan hasn’t been able to fully block X, despite the platform already being restricted. PTA officials, along with government representatives, were unable to provide a clear answer.
To Keep Updated Visit & Follow our Facebook Page Or Our Website
