ISLAMABAD—The government temporarily blocked more than two dozen Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) on Sunday during a six-hour firewall trial, marking a significant step in internet regulation in the country.
The News newspaper reported that a temporary blockage between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. marked the first time a government firewall significantly impacted internet users across the nation.
According to a government official familiar with the situation, both premium and locally accessed VPN services experienced outages during this period. “The trial blockage of over 20 VPNs at once was successful, although our current infrastructure struggles to handle the load,” commented an insider, highlighting the challenges of maintaining such controls.
A telecom industry executive indicated that the VPN restrictions were lifted due to backlash from businesses that rely on VPNs for secure and efficient communication. Moving forward, unregistered VPN users could face potential blocks as the government enhances its firewall capabilities.
In response to rumors circulating in September about potential VPN restrictions, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified that it did not intend to block VPN services. However, the PTA urged businesses—such as IT companies, software houses, freelancers, and banks—to register their IP addresses to ensure continued VPN access and uninterrupted internet services for authorized users. Those registering must provide information about their intended use and specify their business activities.
VPNs are commonly used worldwide to bypass restricted content. In Pakistan, for example, citizens have utilized VPNs to access the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which has been banned for several months. The government has stated that it will not lift the restriction on X unless the platform formally registers in Pakistan.
The VPN block trial served as the first demonstration of the newly installed firewall. This experiment revealed limitations in the country’s internet infrastructure, with noticeable slowdowns reported when the firewall was active. Officials are now exploring technical adjustments to alleviate stress on the system while balancing regulation with the need for smooth internet performance.
