Former P@SHA chairman says govt only banning ‘illegal VPNs’

The former chairman of Pakistan Software House Association (P@SHA) Muhammad Zohaib Khan clarified that VPNs completely getting banned in Pakistan is a wrong statement, underscoring that only the "illegal VPNs" are being targetted. 

Regarding the banning of unregistered VPNs in the country, he said it's a practice implemented worldwide and Pakistan is not the only country witnessing such an organised clampdown on VPNs. 

He explained that many large companies use VPNs for their major international projects, and in such cases, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has permitted VPN use. 

Fibre optic internet has faced minimal disruptions over the past two to three years, claiming that users of fixed-line connections were even left undisturbed in times of security restrictions, he remarked. 

According to the former P@SHA chairman, the security of the state is of utmost importance and Pakistan must tackle cybersecurity challenges that arose with the usage of VPNs. 

The "cyber fencing" for misuse of VPN is very important as it can conceal the identities of users, which aids malicious elements in email fabrication, scams, blackmail or even terrorist activities across Pakistan. 

To protect Pakistan's IT sector over the past two years, he said he also focused on the need for awareness campaigns, especially regarding social media regulations. Misinformation about Pakistan’s internet being shut down or cut off is being disseminated on social media, harming the country’s international reputation. 

The Wireless & Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) also emphasised that the regulation of VPNs in Pakistan should be balanced. WISPAP stated that regulations should target harmful activities while allowing legitimate use that drives progress and safeguards data integrity.