Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced a two-week extension for unregistered Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to comply with registration requirements.

This move aims to address concerns over internet regulation and economic losses, as freelancers who rely on VPNs for international work could face a significant annual revenue loss of $400 million if their VPNs are not registered.

Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, Major General (retd) Hafeez-ur-Rehman Pasha revealed that over 20,000 VPNs have been registered so far.

As per Daily Jang reports, the new deadline for compliance is November 30, with a crackdown on non-compliant VPNs scheduled to begin on December 1.

According to PTA officials, one trial for banning unregistered VPNs has been successfully completed, with another planned in the coming days.

The move aims to mitigate security risks, as unregistered VPNs are considered a potential vulnerability for accessing sensitive data.

Users and organizations relying on VPNs for legitimate purposes are urged to register their services promptly to avoid disruption.