Pakistan’s telecom regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has decided not to block unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) despite the passing of the November 30 deadline, as reported by the media.

The PTA had initially requested businesses, freelancers, and IT companies to register their VPNs by the end of November to comply with government regulations.

Although the original deadline has passed, officials have announced an extension, but the new deadline has not been specified yet.

PTA Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeez Rehman stated to Independent Urdu that VPNs will not be blocked from now on, and the decision to extend the registration period lies with the Ministry of Interior.

Another PTA official mentioned that blocking VPNs is not a feasible option at the moment. In recent years, Pakistan has implemented various measures to regulate online content, including restrictions on social media, which has faced criticism from digital rights activists.

They argue that such policies stifle free speech and limit access to information. The PTA chairman emphasized on Saturday that VPNs are still functioning, recognizing the importance of VPNs in the IT industry.

He also mentioned that 25,000 VPNs have been registered so far, and those that are registered will continue to operate.