ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Saturday allowed the registration of virtual private networks (VPNs) through mobile numbers.
“The step is aimed to further simplify the VPN registration process for facilitation of the IT industry,” the internet regulatory body said in a statement.
Previously, freelancers were required to provide a static IP address for VPN registration.
After new changes, freelancers and other internet users who do not possess a static IP can now register their VPN using their mobile number, enabling them to utilize mobile data for VPN access. The PTA advised users to register their VPNs using mobile numbers through its website.
The regulatory body said over 31,000 VPNs have so far been registered.
The latest announcement follows the PTA’s initiative to crack down on unregistered VPNs due to security concerns raised by the government.
Initially, the regulatory body had set a November 30 deadline for VPN registration but later decided not to block any VPNs after the deadline expired.
The Ministry of Interior had previously announced plans to shut down all unregistered VPNs by mid-November but subsequently provided a two-week “grace period” for compliance with the registration requirements.
The PTA Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman, while talking to media, confirmed that the authority would not block any VPNs, as the government opted to extend the registration deadline.
Pakistan’s IT Sector losing Rs 1.3 billion daily
On Thursday, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication discussed the challenges and impact on Pakistan’s IT sector.
During the meeting, Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) Sajjad Syed revealed that Pakistan’s IT sector is currently facing a daily loss of Rs 1.3 billion due to slow and interrupted internet.
He said that while the IT industry is growing at an impressive annual rate of 30%, further disruptions could threaten this progress.
During the meeting, the IT Secretary explained that internet disruptions are typically implemented for national security reasons. However, the committee stressed the need to find a balance between ensuring national security and maintaining uninterrupted internet connectivity for the IT sector.
The PTA Chairman told the committee that around 3100 VPNs have been registered so far, with licenses expected to be issued by January 2025.
The committee urged the PTA and the Ministry of IT to ensure that VPN registration and regulatory measures do not hinder the growth of Pakistan’s IT sector.
Earlier, on November 19, 2024, the PTA announced a streamlined VPN registration process through the PTA’s official website for freelancers and organisations, software houses, call centers, and banks.
Pakistan among top five countries for freelancers
According to the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), Pakistan is among the top five in the world in the freelancing category. Pakistan ranked as the fourth most popular country in the world after USA, UK and Brazil.
According to Payoneer website, Pakistan’s freelancers attracted export remittances of almost $400 million during the 2021-22 fiscal year. This accounts for nearly 15% of the total ICT export remittances of $2.616 billion recorded by Pakistan during the same period.
