Pakistan’s government has completed all preparations to prevent the misuse of Virtual private networks (VPNs).
According to information obtained and reported by The News, a national firewall is being installed across various internet service providers to control social media and block undesirable content from reaching a broader audience. A reliable source confirmed that this firewall has already been purchased and is currently being installed.
Previously, Pakistan utilized this technology primarily to block websites and social media apps.
In 2013, Canadian company Netsweeper’s firewalls were installed at Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Pakistan’s largest internet service provider. PTCL holds over 65% of the share in submarine cables connecting Pakistan to the rest of the world. The latest technology will allow the monitoring and analysis of information from various internet protocol addresses.
A government official involved in the project stated that the national firewall serves two purposes: identifying the sources of propaganda material and blocking or limiting access to such accounts. The primary goal is to locate the propagators and eliminate the root cause of the problem.
The firewall will filter content on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X. Measures are also being prepared to prevent the misuse of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The government may mandate that users inform the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) before using a VPN or face consequences for violations.
Due to the government’s months-long block on Twitter, many citizens have been accessing the service via VPNs. Initially, several VPNs were blocked, causing concern in the corporate community, as major global businesses use VPNs to protect their secrets and internal communications.
As a result, actions against VPNs were temporarily halted. Given that many people still access Twitter through VPNs, the question arises whether blocking it was a wise move.
A government official affirmed this strategy, noting that Twitter’s user base in Pakistan dropped from 4.5 million to 2.4 million, affecting Twitter’s business in the country. The use of bots has also decreased, and Twitter’s administration has started paying more attention to government demands, such as the closure of the Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society’s account.
