Islamabad, Nov 24: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has initiated a second trial aimed at blocking unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) using the newly implemented national firewall. According to sources, the exercise will last two days, with a full crackdown scheduled to begin in December.
PTA has set a deadline of November 30 for VPN registration, after which any unregistered VPNs will be blocked starting in December. So far, over 25,000 VPNs have been registered.
The authority is working to expedite the process of VPN registration and whitelisting. Similar measures have been adopted in countries like China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others, where unregistered VPNs are banned. Nations like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia also restrict VPN usage, permitting them primarily for business purposes. In Pakistan, PTA clarified there are no restrictions on VPNs used for business activities.
Meanwhile, users across Pakistan have reported difficulties using free VPNs over the past several hours. Many relied on these services to access the social media platform X but have complained that such VPNs are no longer functional.
