**ISLAMABAD**: The Interior Ministry has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block “illegal VPNs” across the country, citing their use by terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions, as well as their role in accessing “pornographic and blasphemous content.”
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are commonly used worldwide to bypass internet restrictions and access content that may be blocked or unavailable in certain regions. In Pakistan, VPNs have been used to access websites like X (formerly Twitter), which are restricted in the country.
On Wednesday, the PTA announced that it would restrict VPN usage to curb access to pornographic content, following a nationwide disruption that rendered VPN services nonfunctional on Sunday. The authority claimed it had blocked over 100,000 URLs containing blasphemous content and over 840,000 websites featuring pornography. Additionally, the PTA reported that it blocks around 20 million attempts daily from within Pakistan to access pornographic sites at the international gateway level.
The PTA’s statement on its efforts to curb online content followed a letter from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which urged the authority to block blasphemous and pornographic material.
In a letter to the PTA on Friday, seen by *Dawn*, the Interior Ministry raised concerns that VPNs were increasingly being exploited by terrorists for covert communications and financial transactions. The letter also highlighted the growing use of VPNs to access illicit content, noting that Pakistan has become one of the leading countries in terms of VPN usage to visit pornographic sites.
“It has been observed that VPNs are being used to conceal communications and facilitate illegal activities,” the ministry stated. “These activities, coupled with the use of VPNs for accessing immoral and blasphemous content, warrant the prohibition of unauthorized VPN services.”
The Interior Ministry requested the PTA to block illegal VPNs across Pakistan while ensuring that registered, legitimate VPN users were not affected. The ministry also urged the PTA to establish a deadline of November 30 for the registration of VPNs.
Meanwhile, users across the country reported issues accessing VPN services last week, along with poor internet connectivity. Digital rights activists condemned the disruption, alleging it was part of a government effort to impose stricter censorship and surveillance over internet users. The PTA, however, dismissed these claims, attributing the disruptions to a “technical glitch” and calling for VPN users to register their services.
**Council of Islamic Ideology Declares VPN Use “Illegal”**
In a related development, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Friday declared the use of VPNs to access blocked or immoral content as “illegal” under Islamic law. CII Chairman Allama Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi endorsed the government’s actions, stating that the use of VPNs to access immoral or illegal websites violates Sharia law.
“The government has the authority to take action against activities that lead to evil,” Naeemi said in a statement. “Using VPNs to access prohibited content or circumvent government-imposed restrictions is against Sharia and societal norms.”
Naeemi acknowledged that while VPNs serve to enhance online privacy and security, they are also misused to access immoral websites, including pornography and those promoting disinformation. He further emphasized that online theft and fraud via VPNs complicate law enforcement efforts.
“Under Sharia, the legality of any action depends on its purpose and method of use. Using VPNs for accessing prohibited content is a violation of Islamic and social law, and therefore, not permissible,” Naeemi added.
**VPN Registration Portal**
In response to growing concerns, the PTA has launched a new online portal for the registration of VPNs, allowing legitimate users, such as IT companies, freelancers, and other stakeholders, to register their services. The portal, accessible at [ipregistration.pta.gov.pk](http://ipregistration.pta.gov.pk), aims to create a secure environment for Pakistan’s IT and e-commerce sectors.
The PTA described the registration process as a streamlined framework designed to ensure uninterrupted access for legitimate users, while enhancing the authority’s ability to regulate the use of VPNs across the country.
**Previous Clampdowns and Developments**
In August, the PTA began a crackdown on VPN usage to block access to the social media platform X, which had been banned due to national security concerns. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated in September that X had been banned for reasons related to national security, not freedom of expression, citing the platform’s use by separatists and terrorists to spread anti-Pakistan content.
The PTA later clarified that VPNs were not being banned, but rather regulated to address specific security and content concerns. However, the government’s increased scrutiny of VPN services is seen as part of its broader efforts to control online activity and enforce stricter content regulations.
