We Will Block All Illegal VPNs in Pakistan: PTA Chairman
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman announced on Monday that the authority will block all illegal virtual private networks (VPNs) in the country. He made this statement while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom in Islamabad.
The chairman informed the committee that PTA has already registered 20,500 VPNs and is working to increase this number. He acknowledged concerns over unauthorized VPN use, especially for accessing blocked platforms like X (formerly Twitter). However, he clarified that the PTA won’t take immediate action against illegal VPNs. Instead, the regulator will ramp up efforts once the registration process becomes more widespread.
Also Read: Will PTA Block All Non-Registered VPNs?
The future of X in Pakistan was also discussed. Interior Ministry officials stated that its case is currently under review at the Islamabad, Sindh, and Lahore High Courts. When questioned about the legality of using VPNs to access X, the officials confirmed it is illegal. This prompted a senator to ask why the Prime Minister was using a VPN to express his views on the platform.
Another senator raised the issue of why Pakistan couldn’t fully block X if it’s already restricted. PTA officials and government representatives were unable to provide a clear explanation in response.
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