Chairman Major General Hafeez Ur Rehman of Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) confirmed on Saturday that the government has approved an extension for the deadline to register VPNs.
Previous Deadline and Grace Period
The Ministry of Interior initially announced that unregistered VPNs would be shut down by the middle of November. However, later, a two-week “grace period” was announced, allowing people to register VPNs before the deadline.
Read more:Â VPN in Pakistan: Why Do We Need to Register?
PTA’s Decision Not to Block VPNs
The deadline ended last night, but PTA has not issued an official statement on the VPN matter. However, PTA Chairman Maj Gen Hafeez Ur Rehman spoke to certain media outlets. He confirmed that the authority would not block VPNs as the government has decided to extend the deadline. This was also due to the constant pressure from stakeholders and the IT industry. The PTA chief reassured users that VPNs would not be blocked on November 30, as initially planned. “VPNs will not be blocked today,” he said, addressing concerns about disruptions.
However, he did not specify a new deadline for registration, adding, “How long VPN registration is extended is a matter for the interior ministry.”
The extension follows a request from Wispap, which had urged the interior ministry to extend the deadline to “facilitate compliance.”
Surge in VPN Use After Social Media Ban
The use of VPNs witnessed a spike in Pakistan after authorities banned social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, over “national security” concerns.
The government’s decision to extend the VPN registration deadline gives users more time to comply with the new regulations while maintaining internet access amid rising VPN usage.
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