VPN inevitable for IT industry, common man, says PTA chief amid looming ban

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman has said that the “common man needs VPN” amid the looming ban on private gateways.

The PTA chairman made the remarks while briefing the Senate standing committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications as the country's top regulatory authority on Monday extended the deadline for the registration of VPNs until November 30.

The extension came rising concerns over the misuse of unauthorised VPNs for activities such as bypassing internet restrictions and accessing prohibited content.

Briefing the Senate body, the PTA chief urged people associated with the IT business to register their VPNs to avoid any inconvenience.

He also acknowledged the importance of VPN, saying that the industry cannot function without it. “Freelancers and companies required the VPNs.”

The VPN registration policy was introduced in 2016, he told the parliamentarians, adding that they recently launched a campaign in this regard. “Internet will never be shut down if VPN is registered.”

The PTA chairman said: “Whenever the internet has to be shut down, the industry suffers.”

He apprised the lawmakers that 25,000 VPNs have been registered so far, adding that the PTA had blocked over 0.5 million obscene websites.

Starting from December 1, the PTA will initiate a nationwide crackdown on unregistered VPNs, said sources.

A successful trial of VPN blocking has already been conducted, and a second trial is planned in the coming days to ensure readiness for the full-scale shutdown, they added.

The development came as Pakistan has recorded a surge in use of VPNs since February this year as the authorities banned social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter over national security "concerns".

How to register VPN?

Entities such as software houses, call centres, banks, embassies and freelancers can now easily register their VPNs online through the PTA’s official website: www.pta.gov.pk.

The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) members can also avail this facility.

Registration involves completing an online form and providing basic details, including CNIC, company registration details and taxpayer status.

Freelancers must submit documentation, such as a letter or email, verifying their project or company association.

Additionally, applicants must provide the IP address for VPN connectivity. If a fixed IP address is required, it can be acquired from an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The registration process is free, and approvals are typically granted within 8-10 hours of submission. To-date, more than 20,000 companies and freelancers have successfully registered their VPNs through this process.

Any individual requiring a VPN for commercial purposes can apply under the ‘Freelancer’ category and needs to provide the required information, including supporting evidence from the employer.

The VPNs are widely used globally to bypass restricted content and safeguard user privacy.

Reports suggest that Pakistanis make up to 20 million daily attempts to access blocked explicit content using unregistered VPNs, despite government restrictions.