Interior ministry orders ban on unregistered VPNs

Official notification states various groups exploiting VPNs to "conceal their communications”

The Ministry of Interior has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ban unauthorised Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) nationwide, citing increased misuse of these services by terrorist groups to enable violent activities and untraceable financial transactions.

In an official notice on Thursday, the ministry described VPNs as a security risk, alleging they have been used to bypass traditional surveillance measures and obscure digital footprints tied to criminal activities.

According to the ministry’s letter, various groups are exploiting VPNs to “conceal their communications,” making it challenging for security agencies to monitor potential threats effectively.

VPNs encrypt user data, masking IP addresses and browsing activity, a feature that promotes greater online privacy, as noted in an explanatory document by Microsoft.

However, the interior ministry flagged that unregulated VPNs are also being used in Pakistan to access pornographic and blasphemous content, further justifying their directive to ban such networks.

The government clarified that only illegal VPNs would be targeted under this initiative, emphasising that users of registered VPNs would remain unaffected.

A formal deadline for VPN registration with the PTA has been set for November 30, a step authorities believe will facilitate regulated and secure usage for legitimate purposes.

This crackdown follows the PTA’s September statement, where it assured that registered VPNs would remain accessible and urged relevant sectors—including IT firms, software houses, and freelance professionals—to register their IPs.

In August, the PTA initiated VPN registration under a streamlined ‘one-window’ system, accessible on both the PTA and Pakistan Software Export Board websites.

The registration drive and subsequent restrictions align with the government’s broader efforts to enhance cyber oversight, amid growing security concerns linked to encrypted digital communication channels.