PTA Chairman Confirms VPNs Remain Unblocked in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman clarified on Monday that no Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have been blocked by the PTA, nor is there any intention to do so in the future.

Speaking at the launch of the PTA’s Annual Report 2024, Chairman Rehman emphasized that while PTA has the ability to block VPNs, it has never exercised this capability, and there are no plans to initiate such actions. He stated that in today’s world, efforts to hide information are largely futile.

Regarding internet shutdowns for national security reasons, the Chairman acknowledged that the PTA does not have a direct answer to such measures and suggested that national security concerns should be addressed by policymakers.

The PTA’s annual report also highlighted that over 1,000 fake IDs and 37 hacked accounts were reported to Meta in 2024, which included impersonations of government officials, politicians, and ordinary citizens. Of the total hacked accounts, 27 were Facebook accounts, and the remaining 10 were WhatsApp users. The PTA actively worked with Meta to have these accounts restored.

While the PTA does not keep detailed records of hacking incidents, it mentioned that social media platforms like Meta encourage users to report directly for more effective resolution.

The authority identified common security issues such as social engineering scams, unsecured Wi-Fi, malware, weak passwords, lack of two-factor authentication (2FA), and vulnerabilities associated with the use of free VPNs.

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