Internet Users in Pakistan Report VPN Access Issues Amid Connectivity Problems
Multiple users in Pakistan took to X platform on Sunday, stating that VPNs were being slowed down and access was being restricted
On Sunday, multiple internet users across Pakistan reported experiencing “restricted access” to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), coinciding with widespread complaints of poor internet connectivity.
VPNs are crucial for many users in Pakistan, particularly for accessing the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which has been blocked in the country since February 2024.
Reports from various users indicate that access to VPN services has been significantly hampered, leading to frustrations among those relying on these tools for both personal and professional use.
According to outage tracking site Downdetector, users reported disruptions with VPN services VPN Unlimited and Tunnelbear, primarily related to difficulties connecting to the virtual private network. A graph on the site indicates that VPN Unlimited users continued to experience issues, with a peak of 10 reports by 6:15 PM.
Similarly, Tunnelbear users submitted reports as late as 7:29 PM.
The PTA had previously acknowledged that the increased reliance on VPNs was a response to the ban on X, which saw a dramatic rise in demand for VPN services—up 131% shortly after the platform was blocked.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has recently been in the spotlight regarding its stance on VPNs. While the PTA clarified that it is not blocking VPNs outright, it has urged users, particularly IT companies and freelancers, to register their VPNs to avoid potential service disruptions.
This move follows a significant surge in VPN usage as users sought ways to bypass government-imposed restrictions on certain online platforms.
Despite the PTA’s assurances that VPNs are not being blocked, many users have experienced slow internet speeds and connectivity issues, which some officials attribute to the high volume of traffic through these networks.
Earlier, the Minister for Information Technology suggested that the slowdown was linked to the overwhelming number of users switching to VPNs to access restricted content.
