The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified that no virtual private networks (VPNs) have been blocked in the country so far, nor is there any plan to do so in the future. The statement was made during the launch of PTA’s Annual Report for the fiscal year 2023-24.
At the report launch ceremony, PTA Chairman Hafizur Rehman stated, “We could block VPNs, but we won’t. To date, no VPNs have been blocked, and there is no intention to do so.”
His remarks followed ongoing concerns regarding the registration of VPNs, a process previously extended beyond its November 30 deadline, with no new timeline announced.
The report highlighted that Pakistan’s telecom sector revenues reached a record Rs955 billion in FY2023-24. The average revenue per user (ARPU) stood at Rs302 per month during the April-June 2024 period.
The PTA data revealed that Facebook and YouTube remain the most widely used social media platforms in Pakistan, with over 60 million Facebook users and 70 million YouTube viewers. TikTok recorded 54.4 million users by January 2024, while Instagram had 7.3 million users. Male users dominate all platforms, accounting for 78% of TikTok users and 64% of Instagram users.
The report further stated that Pakistan’s telecom subscribers reached 196 million, including 142.3 million broadband subscribers. Of the broadband users, 138.7 million are mobile broadband subscribers, while 3.6 million use fixed broadband. Total mobile subscribers climbed to 193.4 million.
Cellular mobile services now cover 91% of the population, with 3G/4G services reaching over 81%. As of June 2024, Pakistan had 55,777 operational cell sites, 95.5% of which supported 4G services. The expansion of cellular services has driven significant growth in broadband subscriptions.
The government has expressed concerns about VPN use being linked to access to immoral content on social media and other platforms. However, the PTA reaffirmed that while monitoring mechanisms exist, VPNs will not be blocked.
