IT industry cannot function without VPNs: PTA chairman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) hairman Maj-Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman on Monday said that IT industry could not boost and function without the Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology discussed the implications of banning VPNs amid concerns of its impact on freelancers and the IT sector. 

During the session, the PTA chairman briefed the committee, acknowledging the importance of VPNs for the IT industry.

“The IT industry cannot function without VPNs, and freelancers, in particular, rely on them,” he said, adding that the process of registering VPNs began in 2016. 

He clarified that business operations would not disrupt if VPNs were registered with the PTA.

“Not every freelancer requires a VPN but it is typically used for surreptitious purposes. So far, PTA has registered thousands of VPNs.” 

The issue of restricted access to certain platforms also came under discussion.

 Senator Hummayun Mohmand pointed out that the platform X (formerly Twitter) has been blocked in Pakistan since February 2024. “The government is banning the use of VPNs to block X,” Mohmand said. 

Committee Chairman Senator Afnan Ullah sought further clarification from the PTA chairman.

“If there is a rationale for blocking VPNs, we will have an in-camera briefing,” he said. The committee summoned the interior secretary at the next meeting for a briefing on the matter. 

VPNs are widely used by freelancers, IT professionals, and businesses to access restricted platforms and secure communications. 

The tightening of restrictions on unregistered VPNs has fueled debate in Pakistan. Proponents argue it was essential for national security, while critics warn it could harm Pakistan’s growing freelance economy and IT export potential. 

Earlier, Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi declared the use of VPNs for accessing blocked or illegal content as un-Islamic.

Answering a question on the Islamic status of the use of VPNs, he said that it was government’s religious authority to take steps against apps to restrict access to unethical, blasphemous, or harmful material, including banning VPNs, align with Islamic injunctions.