PTA’s crackdown on unregistered VPNs

ISLAMABAD: Users in Pakistan are facing difficulties in using unregistered VPN mobile and desktop apps as well as browser extensions.

According to details, complaints are coming from a large number of internet users that the popular virtual private network service Proton VPN is intermittently stopping working in different parts of the country.

According to users, sometimes the service is restored while sometimes the connection is suddenly disconnected, due to which questions are being raised on online privacy and free internet use. Users on social media and online forums have expressed concern, describing the situation as “on and off”.

Proton VPN is a service of a Swiss company that is known worldwide for digital privacy and censorship prevention. In the past, its protocol was considered effective in Pakistan, however, its performance has been seen to be unstable in recent days.

Experts say the issue could be a result of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)’s recent crackdown on unregistered VPN services, including the use of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology.

There has been no clear statement from the authorities regarding the official shutdown of ProtonVPN, but user experiences suggest that the service is being effectively restricted.