LONDON: Pakistan is seeking to block the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, to prevent users from accessing social media platform X as it seeks to circumvent the current ban.
The Express Tribune reported on Thursday that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority will conduct a vetting process and whitelist compliant VPNs, effectively restricting public access to specific services.
In a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman confirmed that only selected VPNs will be allowed after the whitelisting process.
Pakistan blocked access to X ahead of national elections in February this year, citing national security concerns and the platform's failure to follow government guidelines and address concerns about misuse of its platform.
The move was criticized by rights groups as an attempt to restrict the free flow of information.
Rehman said Musk's platform has only upheld 7 percent of the government's content-related complaints over the past three months.
Despite a significant 70 percent drop in X usage in Pakistan, users have been circumventing the ban through VPN services, which establish a digital connection between a device and a remote server, allowing them to bypass website blocks and firewalls.
During the meeting, Rehman also discussed plans for the 5G auction scheduled for March-April next year. Apart from this, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addressed the issue of taxation of social media income.
Rehman said the PTA is ready to lift the ban on X whenever the government asks.
Pakistan is the fifth largest country in the world by population, with 57 percent having access to the Internet, according to government data.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's administration has cracked down on users who promote political or religious aggression and make accusations against the country's powerful military on social media.
Many netizens have been detained on charges such as running a hate campaign against the military.
