The Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Major General (retd) Hafeezul Rehman said here on Saturday that the government has approved the extension of the deadline for registration of virtual private networks (VPNs), but did not announce a new deadline.
Most people across the globe use VPN services to access content that cannot be accessed or that is blocked for users in their own country. The usage of VPN across Pakistan has skyrocketed with most people using it for unblocking access to X, which has been blocked since February, in addition to many other websites.
Also Read: PTA’s VPN Registration Deadline Ends Today
Following a disruption across the country that left VPNs dysfunctional, the PTA had previously stated VPN use would in the future be held limited to restrict access to adult content.
On November 15, and as such following a ministry order, the PTA was directed to block “illegal VPNs” for Pakistan since these “facilitate violent activities” through their use by terrorists and “access to pornographic and blasphemous” content.
The PTA Chairman, thus, told the Senate Standing Committee on IT, last week, that all non-registered VPNs would stop working in the country after the November 30 deadline for registration.
Speaking to Dawn.com today, as announced by the PTA leader, the government has approved the extension of the deadline past November 30. “VPNs will not be blocked today,” he said.
Although no new deadline was given, he stated, “How long the VPN registration is extended is a matter for the interior ministry.”
On November 30, the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (Wispap) asked on the interior ministry for an extension of the deadline for registration of VPNs to “facilitate compliance”.