PTA to whitelist VPNs to ensure smooth, secure IT services

Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Sunday provided further details about its initiative to regulate Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in the country.

The PTA clarified that it is using an “automated process” to whitelist VPNs to ensure the "smooth and secure functioning of IT services and online businesses,”.

During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, PTA Chairman, retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman, explained that the new policy would allow only whitelisted VPNs to operate in Pakistan, while others would be blocked. He noted that blocking VPNs could potentially disrupt several IT businesses that rely on these networks.

In response to recent media reports suggesting that the PTA was blocking VPNs, the authority issued a statement on Instagram on Saturday.

The PTA emphasized that no VPNs have been blocked and that any blocking actions would only be taken under government directives and within the legal framework. The statement also reiterated that VPNs are being whitelisted through an automated system available on the PTA and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) websites.

 

 

 

 

 

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VPNs create a secure, encrypted connection over less secure networks like the internet, protecting user privacy, securing data, and allowing access to restricted content.

In 2024, the use of VPNs in Pakistan surged, with many users employing them to access X (formerly Twitter), which has been inaccessible in the country since February 19.