Government Decides Not to Immediately Block Unregistered VPNs Despite Expired Deadline

Islamabad: The federal government has decided not to immediately block unregistered VPNs, despite the deadline for registration having passed.
According to sources, a decision on whether to extend the VPN registration deadline has not been reached. However, it has been confirmed that unregistered VPNs will not be blocked right away. The registration process will continue beyond the original deadline, and a final decision regarding unregistered VPNs is expected next week.
Sources from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) stated that registration for VPNs will remain open even after the deadline has expired. A final decision on how to handle unregistered VPNs will be made once the Ministry of Interior issues written instructions. The PTA is currently awaiting these guidelines.
It is noteworthy that the PTA had set November 30 as the deadline for VPN registration, but the IT industry, freelancers, and other stakeholders have been urging for an extension of the deadline.