The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has requested an extension from the Interior Ministry for the deadline to register virtual private networks (VPNs) beyond November 30, 2024. PTA raised concerns about the complexity of the registration process, noting that some stakeholders have encountered difficulties in completing the procedure.
Two weeks ago, the Ministry of Interior mandated the registration of all unregistered VPNs to ensure compliance with the country’s regulations. PTA is currently engaging with stakeholders to simplify the process and address their concerns.
The Interior Division highlighted the growing misuse of VPNs, including their use by terrorists to conceal communications and by individuals accessing pornographic or blasphemous content. In a statement dated November 15, the Interior Ministry warned that Pakistan ranks among the leading countries in terms of VPN use for accessing pornographic sites, citing these trends as a reason to block unregulated private networks.
Despite these concerns, the government is open to extending the registration deadline by another two weeks before taking action to block non-compliant VPNs.
