Officials from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) acknowledged their challenges in blocking Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) during a session of the Senate Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammadzai Khan in Islamabad on Thursday.
Officials further highlighted that certain services in Pakistan are only accessible via VPNs, which complicates the PTA’s efforts to block these networks entirely.
They pointed out that a complete ban on VPNs would disrupt business operations, as many companies depend on them for secure communications and accessing critical services.
Officials from the Pakistan Software Export Board emphasized that while Pakistan’s share in the global IT market remains below 0.04%, the country saw a significant 20% growth in its IT sector over the past year.
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Moreover, the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) unveiled the iRozgar program, an initiative designed to create job opportunities. The program is being rolled out with a budget allocation of one billion rupees.
In the meeting, the PTA’s Enforcement Member provided an update on the internet disruptions resulting from a cut in the SMW4 optical fiber cable near Karachi on June 18, 2024. The damage has not been fully repaired, and work is ongoing to restore complete functionality.
