The Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (Wispap) called on the interior ministry on Friday to extend the deadline for the registration of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to “facilitate compliance”.

VPNs are widely used around the world to access content that may be inaccessible or blocked for internet users in their home country. The use of VPNs has surged in Pakistan as people are using them to access X, which has been banned since February, as well as a host of other websites.

Following a disruption that rendered VPNs dysfunctional across the country, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) earlier this month had said that VPN usage would be restricted in the future to curb access to pornographic content.

On November 15, the interior ministry asked the PTA to block “illegal VPNs” across Pakistan, citing their use by terrorists to “facilitate violent activities” and to “access pornographic and blasphemous content”.

Consequently, PTA Chairman Retired Major General Hafeezur Rehman told the Senate standing committee on IT last week that all non-reg­i­s­tered VPNs would stop wor­king in the country after the Nov 30 deadline for their registration.

In a letter today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, Wispap said it believed “extending the current deadline for VPN registration would further facilitate compliance among users who were just beginning to adapt to the new, simplified process”.

While acknowledging government efforts to enhance cybersecurity and regulate VPN usage in Pakistan, Wispap said that an extension would allow more time for public awareness campaigns to educate users about the importance of VPN registration.

Service providers and associations like Wispap and P@sha (Pakistan Software Houses Association) would also be able to collaborate with customers to streamline the registration process, it highlighted.

The extension would enable “building trust with hesitant users who are gradually understanding the security benefits of compliance”, Wispap contended.

It said that the step “would support the government’s objectives while ensuring widespread adherence to the VPN registration framework”, adding that Wispap remained committed to collaborating with the ministry and PTA to address any challenges.

In its letter, the association noted that simplification of the registration process was a “pivotal step” in ensuring that citizens could “comply without hesitation”.

“These changes have already started to alleviate the reluctance previously observed among users,” Wispap claimed.

It applauded the government’s recognition of the “significant security risks currently posed by rogue VPN servers”.

Wispap observed: “Hackers and malicious actors have increasingly exploited unregistered VPN connections to redirect unsuspecting users to rogue servers, exposing their sensitive data to theft.

“By encouraging registration, the government is protecting citizens from such vulnerabilities and ensuring the integrity of Pakistan’s digital landscape,” it added.