The Pakistan government has initiated a firewall trial, blocking unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) across the country, citing security concerns.
According to sources within the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), unregistered VPNs pose a risk by potentially granting access to sensitive information.
As part of the trial, the PTA has temporarily blocked unregistered VPNs for white-listing. Businesses including IT firms, software houses, freelancers, and banks have been urged to register their IP addresses to ensure continued access to VPN services. Companies must disclose their intended use and specify their business activities when registering.
The PTA began VPN registration in 2010, and around 20,500 VPNs have been registered to date. However, VPNs remain popular for bypassing content restrictions, with Pakistanis often using them to access banned platforms like X (formerly Twitter), which has been inaccessible for several months. Authorities have stated that the restriction on X will only be lifted if the platform agrees to formally register in Pakistan.
