PTA permits VPN registration linked to mobile numbers to facilitate freelancers
The Ministry of Interior had previously announced plans to shut down all unregistered VPNs by mid-November.
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced a new policy allowing the registration of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) linked to mobile numbers, aiming to ease the process for freelancers and the IT industry. The move is seen as an effort to streamline the registration procedure and provide better facilitation for users, particularly those working in the technology sector.
In an official statement released on Saturday, the PTA stated, “This step is aimed to further simplify the VPN registration process for facilitation of the IT industry.” The regulatory authority also shared that more than 31,000 VPNs have already been successfully registered. Users are now advised to register their VPNs via the PTA’s website, using their mobile numbers.
This decision comes after the PTA initiated a crackdown on unregistered VPNs in response to security concerns raised by the government. Initially, the PTA had set a deadline of November 30 for VPN registration, with plans to block unregistered VPNs after the expiration of the deadline. However, in a significant policy shift, the PTA has decided not to block any VPNs, extending the registration period.
The Ministry of Interior had previously announced plans to shut down all unregistered VPNs by mid-November. However, the government later provided a two-week “grace period” to allow users to comply with the registration requirements.
Read More: Federal Govt decides not to ban VPN
Chairman of PTA, Maj Gen (Retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman, confirmed in a media statement that the authority would not proceed with blocking any VPNs. He emphasized that the government had chosen to extend the registration deadline to ensure that users, especially from the freelancing and IT sectors, could complete the registration process without disruption.
