Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retired) Hafeezul Rehman on Saturday said that the government had approved extending the deadline to register virtual private networks (VPNs), though no new deadline was given.

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 PTA earlier this month 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, the PTA chairman told the Senate standing committee on IT last week that all non-reg­i­s­tered VPNs would stop wor­king in the country after the November 30 deadline for their registration.

Speaking to Dawn.com today, the PTA chief said that the government had approved the extension of the deadline beyond November 30. “VPNs will not be blocked today,” he said.

However, he did not give a new deadline, stating, “How long VPN registration is extended is a matter for the interior ministry.”

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

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.