ISLAMABAD: A crackdown on the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) is expected if the deadline for its registration, which ends on (today) Saturday, is extended, Geo News quoted sources as saying. Not done.
At least 27,000 VPNs have been registered by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) so far.
Sources said the Telecommunication Authority has emphasized the importance of VPN registration to improve cyber security and ensure national security as well as data protection.
Stakeholders, including the IT industry and freelancers, are pushing for an extension of the registration deadline. Sources say that this decision is with the Ministry of Interior and is still under consideration.
However, if the deadline is not extended, the crackdown on unregistered VPNs is set to begin immediately.
The PTA had set the final date for VPN registration on November 30 and highlighted that registered VPNs can play a significant role in improving cyber security in the country.
VPNs are commonly used to bypass restricted content around the world.
In Pakistan, the use of VPNs increased after authorities banned social media site X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year over “national security” concerns.
VPN Registration
In a statement earlier this month, the PTA said it has streamlined the VPN registration process for organizations and freelancers.
Organizations like software houses, call centers, banks, embassies and freelancers can register their VPNs online through the PTA’s official website, the telecommunications regulator said.
Members of Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) can also avail this facility, PTA said.
Registration involves completing an online form and providing basic details including Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC), company registration details and taxpayer status, it added.
Freelancers must submit documentation, such as a letter or email, to verify their project or company association, the PTA statement said.
Additionally, applicants must provide an IP address for VPN connectivity. If a fixed IP address is required, it can be obtained from an Internet service provider, he added.