Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman expressed optimism during a Senate Standing Committee meeting on Information and Technology that a substantial number of registrations for virtual private networks (VPNs) will be received.
The PTA Chairman underscored the PTA’s commitment to not banning VPNs and ensuring the smooth registration of service providers.
“We stand firm on not banning VPNs in Pakistan,” he stated, adding that the registration process for VPN service providers began on December 19, with two internet service providers already having submitted their applications.
Read: PTA Resumes VPN Service Registration with New Licensing Fees
The Chairman also mentioned that, during a meeting with the Pakistan Software Houses Association (PASHA), he advocated for adopting international models for VPN registration and highlighted ongoing consultations with stakeholders to facilitate this process.
Additionally, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman, Dr. Raghib Naeemi, clarified that while VPN use is not inherently unlawful or un-Islamic, its misuse for illegal or unethical purposes is inappropriate. He noted that VPN-related activities leading to blasphemy, religious defamation, or spreading unrest are both un-Islamic and illegal. Dr. Naeemi emphasized that Article 19 supports freedom of expression with boundaries that respect religion, national integrity, and social harmony.
Read: New VPN Registration Framework Introduced by PTA
In related developments, Pakistan is anticipating significant internet improvements with the nearing completion of an undersea cable installation connecting Africa to Pakistan. This modern cable, part of a larger initiative spanning 45,000 kilometres with a capacity of 180 terabits per second, is expected to enhance internet speeds, especially for social media and other online services, upon its imminent activation.
 Hafeezur Rehman, optimistic for VPN registration, reaffirming the stance against a VPN ban in Pakistan.){kind=link}