ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Monday said as many as 25,000 individuals have registered their Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in the country.

The PTA chief was speaking at the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT, chaired by Palwasha Khan in Islamabad.

The meeting focused on the ongoing regulation of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Pakistan. The committee expressed concerns about the absence of the Minister of State for IT for the third consecutive session and summoned the Interior Secretary for the next meeting.

“We have been working on VPN regulations for two years. Registered VPNs ensure uninterrupted internet access without compromising privacy.,” the PTA chairman said.

During the session, Senator Muhammad Humayun criticized the measures, saying, “Shutting down platforms like X (formerly Twitter) is jeopardizing the entire IT industry and impacting the livelihoods of over 2.5 million individuals in Pakistan.”

He argued against policies that could harm freelancers and small businesses.

PTA assured that registered VPNs would not face internet disruptions, but committee members demanded clarity on the legal basis of these policies. Senator Kamran Murtaza requested documentation outlining the registration requirements.

Senator Afnan Ullah warned, “A major backlash will occur if VPN services are abruptly halted.” He highlighted the growth in Pakistan’s IT exports by 20% in the past year but stressed that the industry still lagged behind India.

The committee raised concerns about the sustainability of the current whitelist solution for VPNs. “The policies should bring more benefit than harm,” noted Senator Humayun, while IT officials acknowledged that Pakistan has over 1 million freelancers relying heavily on VPNs for their work.