Pakistan Govt ‘Blocks Unregistered Vpns’
PTA has started blocking unregistered virtual private networks (VPNs).
According to the report, unregistered VPNs are temporarily blocked until they comply.
PTA has made it mandatory for users to register to use ‘VPNs’, ending free VPN services available online.
PTA says that unregistered VPNs in Pakistan are a security threat as they can access private information or illegal content.
The authority’s job is to protect user data and prevent access to illegal content. According to PTA sources, the registration of VPNs started in 2010.
In the last 14 years, about 20,500 VPNs have been registered, and so far more than 1,422 companies have registered VPNs.
The PTA further said that the authority wants to speed up the process of VPN registration and whitelisting, Iran, China, Russia, Turkey, and other countries have blocked unregistered VPNs,
The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have also started blocking unregistered ones and only a few countries allow virtual private networks for business use only.
PTA sources say that there is no ban on VPNs for business use in Pakistan. It should be noted that on Sunday, internet users across Pakistan complained about the shutdown of VPNs, saying that it became impossible to access social media and other websites run through their VPNs.
