Islamabad, Nov 27: Demand for Virtual Private Network (VPN) services in Pakistan has soared in recent days, more than tripling due to growing restrictions on social media platforms ahead of planned protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). According to Top10VPN, a VPN review website, there was a 102% increase in VPN usage on November 25 compared to the previous 28-day average, which escalated to a 213% spike on November 26.
Key Factors Driving the Surge:
- Social Media Disruptions: Platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook have experienced widespread disruptions. Users are turning to VPNs to bypass these restrictions, which were imposed in anticipation of PTI protests.
- Government Restrictions: In addition to limiting access to social media, the government has also restricted media sharing on WhatsApp. However, authorities have not provided official explanations for the scale or reasons behind the disruptions.
- Regional Internet Outages: Several regions in Punjab, including Multan, Rajanpur, Gujrat, and Dera Ghazi Khan, have faced internet disruptions, complicating communication for residents in those areas.
Despite the effectiveness of VPNs in restoring access to blocked services, users have reported slower internet speeds and connectivity issues, further compounding the frustration caused by the disruptions.
