Islamabad, Nov 14: Three days ago, Pakistan’s government showcased its national firewall by blocking unregistered VPNs. An IT expert revealed that the government plans to block unregistered VPNs and advised businesses to register their VPNs with PTA to avoid disruptions.
The PTA held a session to introduce its new VPN registration framework, aimed at creating a “secure environment” for the IT and e-commerce sectors. The PTA also launched a new portal for VPN registration.
How to Register Your VPN via PTA’s Portal
Representatives from the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication (MoIT&T), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) attended the session.
VPNs are used worldwide to bypass content restrictions, but they are also vital for Pakistan’s IT sector.
Recent VPN access issues raised concerns, with digital rights activists suggesting these disruptions may be part of “censorship and surveillance.” The PTA dismissed these claims, attributing the problems to a “technical glitch.” They assured that registered VPNs would face fewer disruptions.
The PTA’s new framework aims to support “legitimate users” and ensure stable connections for the growing digital economy.
This initiative seeks to enable legal VPN to use while reducing risks related to “illegal activities.” To register, businesses and freelancers can visit the PTA’s portal at ipregistration.pta.gov.pk.
