The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has intensified its efforts to block unregistered virtual private networks (VPNs) and suspicious websites, citing national security concerns. The regulator has claimed that terrorists are using these illegal VPNs to spread propaganda and mislead the public.
In response to these threats, the PTA is taking decisive action to curb the misuse of VPNs.
PTA has identified several accounts linked to these unauthorized VPNs and is conducting verification processes to prevent further misuse. The crackdown is part of a broader strategy to maintain national security and curb the spread of harmful content.
Interestingly, despite these concerns, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reportedly uses VPNs to access apps like X (formerly Twitter). He recently used a VPN to tweet a congratulatory message to President-elect Donald Trump for his victory in last week’s U.S. elections.
The regulator has already blocked numerous illegal URLs and websites distributing immoral content following forensic investigations. From 2018 to 2024, the PTA has blocked 100,183 URLs with blasphemous content and restricted access to over 844,008 pornographic sites. Despite these efforts, approximately 20 million attempts are made daily to access pornographic websites in Pakistan, with many users employing VPNs to bypass restrictions.
