Pakistani netizens express fear as telecom authority crackdown on encrypted internet networks

Pakistnetizens are expressing fear of state surveillance after the country’s telecom authority announced that it would crack down on virtual private networks (VPNs), a means by which personal data remains hidden or encrypted, media reports said.

A statement on the website of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) read that using any mode of communication including a VPN is a violation of PTA regulations, reported The Express Tribune.

After the announcement of the VPN crackdown, netizens are rattled. The PTA has simplified the process of registration, the notification read adding that now public and private sector organisations, foreign missions and freelancers, who wish to use a VPN for their legitimate purposes, must register it by using an online application by October 31, 2022, to avoid disruption.