The Pakistan government has launched a “one-window” operation to register virtual private networks (VPNs) in an effort to facilitate businesses and ensure uninterrupted online operations.
According to a statement by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA),
“VPNs are being registered under ‘one window’ operations available at the PTA and PSEB website…to facilitate businesses of software houses, call centers, freelancers and foreign missions/embassies for their legitimate, secure and uninterrupted operations.”
The registration process is available on the PTA website, and users are required to register their VPNs to ensure secure and uninterrupted online business. An IT sector expert noted that registered VPNs will not be impacted on days when internet services are blocked, such as election day or Muharram.
This development comes amidst widespread internet disruptions in Pakistan, with internet networks slowed down by up to 40% since July. Digital rights experts have suggested that the government is testing a firewall, which the government denies.
State Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja dismissed reports of internet throttling, stating, “The report of the government throttling internet is wrong.” However, PTA Chairman Major General Hafeezur Rehman attributed the disruptions to a “faulty submarine cable” and later stated that no firewalls were being installed, but rather the government’s web management system was being upgraded.
The PTA has since announced that repairs to the damaged SMW-4 submarine cable are expected to be completed by early October 2024, which may improve internet experience.
