LONDON: Pakistan is aiming to stop the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, to prevent users from accessing the social media platform, X, as they seek to circumvent the current ban on it.
The Express Tribune reported on Thursday that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority will conduct a screening process to whitelist compliant VPNs, effectively limiting public access to specific services.
PTA Chairman Hafizur Rahman confirmed in a meeting with the Senate Standing Committee at the Cabinet Secretariat 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 comply with government directives and address concerns about its misuse.
Rights groups have criticized the move as an attempt to limit the free flow of information.
Rahman said Musk's platform has complied with just 7 percent of content-related complaints from the government over the past three months.
Despite a remarkable 70 percent drop in X usage in Pakistan, users are bypassing the ban through VPN services, which establish a digital connection between the device and a remote server, allowing them to sidestep website blocks and firewalls.
In the meeting, Rahman also discussed plans for the 5G auction to be held in March-April next year. Additionally, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar addressed the issue of taxation on social media earnings.
Rahman said the PTA was ready to lift the ban on X when the government requested it.
Pakistan is the world's fifth largest country by population, with 57 percent having internet access, according to government data.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's administration has cracked down on social media users who promote political or religious conflict and make accusations against the nation's powerful military.
Many internet users have been arrested on charges such as running a hate campaign against the army.
