PTA streamlines VPN registration for organisations, freelancers

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced a simplified registration process for Virtual Private Networks (VPN) aimed at organizations and freelancers. This process is designed to provide easy ‘access’ to VPN services, which is essential for secure online communication and data protection. The digitized world is a website initiative.It is apparently beneficial to members of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), who can implement a streamlined process to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while maintaining their operational efficiency. For registration, including applicant’s identity card number, company registration information and taxpayer Meanwhile, for freelancers, the registration processThis includes providing evidence to validate their commitment to a particular project or company. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that only ‘legitimate’ users access VPN services. The government claims this will improve the integrity of the registration system, requiring applicants to provide their IP address for VPN connectivity. In cases where a fixed IP address is required, it can be obtained from the relevant Internet Service Provider (ISP).The turnaround time is expected to encourage more organizations and freelancers to register, helping to increase the overall number of compliant VPN users. According to the latest reports, more than 20,000 companies and freelancers have successfully registered their VPNs through PTA. PTA established a specific category for VPN users for commercial purposes under which they can apply as freelancers. with the required information,The new regulations have raised concerns among experts and civil rights advocates. Critics say that requiring people and companies to register their VPNs could lead to increased government surveillance and control over online activities. By mandating registration, the PTA inadvertently created a system that which allows monitoring of Internet usage. Freelancers, in particular, will face challenges in the registration process.