Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority PTA (Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman) rejected allegations regarding the internet slowdown in Pakistan claiming that even now, no VPN has been blocked. He told the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom meeting in Islamabad that from January 1 the regulator will commence licensing VPNs and that those users will be assured to resolve all relevant matters.
Talking about policies of internet slowdown, the chairman stated that currently there is no current policy released to hamper internet services. To this, or indeed only that the internet is suspended for national security reasons, added the IT Secretary. Rehman underscored that should any such policy exist, the authority must not be held accountable for that, and questions must be put to the federal government.
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The Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT and IT Enabled Services (P@SHA) said at the global level that VPNs are monitored. Proposed setting up of VPN service providers. He will further mention that the financial loss in disruption is about $910,000 an hour for the entire IT industry due to shutting down internet services.