The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has clarified that it has no plans to impose a ban on Virtual Private Networks (VPN) in the country. The assurance was given during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, where officials stressed PTA’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s digital and IT ecosystem.
PTA representatives acknowledged the widespread use of VPNs for legitimate purposes such as secure communication, encrypted data transfer, and remote business access. Officials noted that a blanket ban would be technically ineffective and could disrupt businesses that rely on global digital connectivity. “Rather than restricting tools essential to modern communication, our priority is to expand Pakistan’s IT ecosystem,” a PTA representative said.
This is not the first time the regulator has dismissed reports of a VPN ban. In December, PTA Chairman Maj-Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman also stated that while the authority has the technical ability to block VPNs, it has no intention of doing so.
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Meanwhile, in a related development, the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has flagged Rs 17.2 million in allowances and rewards paid to the PTA chairman and members during the 2023–24 fiscal year. The audit termed the payments — including Eid rewards and proficiency incentives — irregular and beyond the approved MP-I and MP-II salary packages.
PTA has defended the payments, citing Finance Division guidelines, but the auditors rejected the justification. The Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) has formed a committee to review the matter, directing it to submit findings to the Finance Division within three months.
The AGP report also pointed to irregularities in PTA’s recruitment process, particularly the violation of federal-provincial quota rules for Sindh’s urban and rural seats.
