PTA Chairman Claims Registered VPNs Will Prevent Internet Shutdowns in the Future

Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PIA) on Monday claimed that if virtual private networks (VPNs) are registered, internet shutdowns would no longer happen in Pakistan. He made these remarks while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom on the current VPN situation. He said PTA has already registered 25,000 VPNs under a policy initially introduced in 2016. Committee members raised eyebrows at Chairman PTA’s suggestion that VPN is not social media, but it is possible to access social media through it, questioning whether the PTA truly understood VPN technology. Responding to a query on why the authorities disrupt internet services, the PTA chairman said shutdowns primarily occur due to security operations in regions like Balochistan. He assured that registering VPNs would mitigate all internet issues for businesses in Pakistan. The Chairman also hinted at broader regulatory plans by comparing Pakistan’s VPN policies with those in Gulf countries, China, and Turkey and lamented the disparity between Pakistan’s digital framework and these highly controlled and developed environments. Many senators in attendance vowed to take the matter to the Prime Minister.