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   Pakistan begins blocking unregistered VPN apps  and this popular service is   
   among the casualties   
      
   Date:   
   Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:57:32 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   Proton confirms its apps have been blocked since December 22. Here's what you   
   can do to evade restrictions.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   Pakistan has long planned to regulate VPNs, and now, authorities have   
   reportedly begun to block some major VPN services. Proton, the company behind   
   Proton VPN , confirmed on Sunday that its apps have been restricted in the   
   country since December 22.    
      
   "Pakistan has followed countries like Russia, China, and Iran in blocking   
   their citizens from using VPNs for uncensored access to X and other social   
   media," said David Peterson , Proton VPN General Manager.    
      
   The move follows the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) resuming VPN   
   licensing in November, when it announced a new framework to provide "secure   
   and lawful" VPN services to the public.    
      
    Virtual private network (VPN) apps have become a crucial tool for people in   
   Pakistan in recent years. That's largely because social media apps  including   
   X, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp  are often blocked in the country.    
      
   However, VPNs do not just provide a way to circumvent content restrictions;   
   they are also used to enhance user privacy and security online. Consequently,   
   the recent restrictions on some of the best VPNs available could have major   
   repercussions for digital rights in the country. Which VPN apps have been   
   affected?    
      
   It remains unclear exactly how many VPN providers have been affected so far.    
      
   According to Daily Pakistan , providers including NordVPN , ExpressVPN ,   
   Surfshark , Mullvad , Cloudflare WARP, and Psiphon have all been impacted by   
   disruptions.    
      
   When we reached out to NordVPN for comment, the company stated it had not   
   noticed any disruptions to its services, while a Surfshark spokesperson noted   
   its apps had experienced a "slight drop" but were otherwise unaffected.    
      
   Some users on Reddit reported slow speeds and connection drops in the country   
   while also using ExpressVPN. We have reached out to the company for   
   confirmation. Other Reddit users lamented restrictions on other Proton apps,   
   including Proton Mail and Proton Pass .    
      
    Data from OONI Explorer indicates that access to Proton VPN's website may   
   also be affected. The number of anomalous test results  defined as results   
   that "present signs of potential network interference"  has increased in the   
   past week.   
      
   Pakistan has been attempting to crack down on VPN usage for years.    
      
   After disrupting access to some VPN apps briefly in February 2024, PTA shared   
   plans to regulate the use of VPNs as a way to curb misuse in August that    
   year. It was at this point that "unregistered VPNs" officially became a   
   target.    
      
   An initial plan to ban all unregistered VPNs was halted just a day before the   
   deadline, following an intervention by Pakistan's Law Ministry citing a lack   
   of legal grounds . Subsequently, the PTA announced a new strategy focused on   
   licensing VPN service providers operating within the country.    
      
   While the crackdown appeared to lose momentum throughout 2025, the initiative   
   remained on the agenda. On November 13, 2025, the PTA announced it had    
   granted the first set of VPN licenses to five local companies.    
      
   While much of the focus has surrounded Proton, it appears likely that other   
   VPN providers will also be affected in this latest wave of disruptions.   
      
   How to evade blocks   
      
   Despite the renewed scrutiny of VPN services in the country, effective   
   workarounds remain available.  Peterson suggests that anyone struggling to use   
   Proton VPN should update to the latest version and switch to its Stealth   
   Protocol . This protocol is designed to obfuscate VPN traffic, making it   
   harder to detect.   
      
   Likewise, NordVPN and Surfshark recommend using their respective NordWhisper   
   or NoBorders protocols to bypass restrictions.   
      
   Both Proton and Surfshark suggest users try connecting to several different   
   servers if their initial attempt fails, as not all servers are currently   
   restricted.    
      
   "Newer servers (usually with higher numbers) and those from smaller countries   
   have the best chance of success," said Proton.    
      
   Finally, Proton suggests switching between landline (Wi-Fi) and mobile data   
   connections, as different internet service providers (ISPs) often have    
   varying rates of success when it comes to blocking VPN traffic.    
      
   We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses.    
   For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms   
   and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and   
   strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone   
   using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming   
   pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future   
   Publishing.    
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/pakistan-begins-blocking-un   
   registered-vpn-apps-and-this-popular-service-is-among-the-casualties   
      
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