Pakistan’s telecom authority has decided not to move forward with a ban on VPN services, following legal input from the Law Ministry which confirmed that such a ban would not hold up in court. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had initially set a deadline for November 30 to implement a new policy regulating VPN use, but this deadline has been extended, and the ban has been completely withdrawn.
The new rules were to require businesses and freelancers to use only registered VPN services for legitimate purposes, including banking, foreign missions, universities, IT companies, and call centers. However, after much debate, the PTA withdrew the proposed ban after the Law Ministry argued that it lacked legal grounds.
VPN usage has surged in Pakistan, particularly in 2024, as people seek to bypass government restrictions. In recent months, social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) have been blocked, driving many users to rely on VPN services to access restricted content.
The PTA had initially pushed for a regulatory framework to curb VPN misuse, citing concerns that unregistered VPNs posed a “security risk” and could be used to access sensitive data. VPN service providers, such as Proton VPN, reported significant spikes in sign-ups from Pakistan, with an increase of over 2800% by November 26, 2024.
Despite the government’s backing down on the VPN ban, challenges remain. There are still concerns about VPN misuse and the increasing sentiment against VPN usage within the country, particularly from government-affiliated figures. In November, Pakistan’s religious chief criticized VPNs, calling their use against Islamic law, while the Ministry of Interior labeled unauthorized VPNs as tools for terrorism-related activities.
Furthermore, Pakistan is reportedly implementing a China-style internet firewall that could potentially block VPNs, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate over digital freedom and government censorship.
As the debate continues, Pakistanis reliant on VPNs for online privacy and free access to information may find some relief, but the issue of internet censorship remains unresolved.
