The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has decided not to ban Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) after November 30. This means all VPNs will continue to work, even after the deadline.
Earlier, PTA had warned people to register their VPNs by November 30. If not registered, these VPNs would be blocked. The Ministry of Interior had asked PTA to ban unregistered VPNs, saying that they were being used for illegal activities like terrorism, violence, and accessing offensive or harmful content.
However, sources say the Ministry of Interior has decided to withdraw its request after discussions with the Ministry of Law. The Ministry of Law explained that there is no legal reason to block VPNs. This is because the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, which is about blocking illegal online content, only allows blocking content, not the tools used to access it. VPNs, like mobile phones or computers, are tools used to access the internet, not illegal content itself.
A senior official from the Ministry of IT and Telecom said that blocking VPNs would be difficult for the government to defend in court. In the past, courts have allowed internet access, and it is considered a necessary tool for people.
VPN use in Pakistan increased after the government blocked the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in February. The PTA had previously instructed businesses, foreign embassies, and freelancers to register their VPNs.
As of now, PTA officials say around 27,000 VPNs have been registered, and another 7,000 are expected to be registered by the deadline.
Concerns from Software Houses
The plan to register VPNs has raised concerns among software companies. Sajjad Mustafa Syed, Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association, said that the PTA only has access to around 500,000 IP addresses, and if many freelancers apply for VPN registration, the current system may not be able to handle the demand.
Many freelancers and online workers rely on VPNs for their jobs, especially when there are internet shutdowns during political protests. These workers use VPNs to access the internet and earn money for their families.
Despite the PTA's plan to register VPNs, it seems that all VPNs will continue to work, as there is no legal reason to block them after November 30.
