ISLAMABAD  -  Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman, Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman, has said that Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) play a vital role, stating that the IT industry cannot function effectively without this service.

“The PTA has extended the deadline for VPN registration until November 30 due to the rising concerns over the misuse of unregistered VPNs,” said Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman while recently speaking during a meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications here.

VPNs, widely used in Pakistan, are vital tools for bypassing internet restrictions, enabling access to otherwise blocked contents, and ensuring user privacy.

However, concerns have been raised regarding their unauthorized use for illegal activities, including accessing prohibited content and bypassing governmental oversight.

The PTA has urged all stakeholders within the IT sector, including freelancers and companies, to register their VPNs to avoid facing challenges when the new regulations come into effect.

The PTA chairman highlighted that common people need VPNs, pointing out that freelancers and businesses particularly rely on these networks for secure and unrestricted internet access.

As of now, over 25,000 VPNs have been successfully registered. The PTA also reported having blocked over 0.5 million websites containing explicit content, as part of its efforts to control internet safety and security.