Pakistan tightens online censorship with crackdown on VPNs

Ban threatens free expression and economy, critics say

20241125 VPN and Pakistan image

An industry group is warning that Pakistan's VPN crackdown could mean a $1 billion loss for the IT sector in its first year alone.

ADNAN AAMIR, Contributing writer

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan is set to ban most Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), putting it on the path of countries including China and Russia that have throttled internet access to crack down on dissent.

Islamabad said it is trying to curb militancy and online crime. But the planned ban, expected to begin this weekend, is the latest in a series of online censorship moves by Pakistani officials and comes as authorities lock down the capital Islamabad and clash with thousands of anti-government protesters calling for the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

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