A surge in VPN usage is the cause of slow internet speeds in Pakistan, with each megabyte of data routed via these services costing approximately $1 to the country’s economy.

This shocking revelation came from a recent report published by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) – local publications, including the Pakistani English-speaking newspaper The Express Tribune could reveal.

While this isn’t the first time authorities have condemned unauthorized VPN usage for, among other things, internet slowdowns, experts have long argued that government-imposed censorship is instead to blame for breaking the internet in Pakistan.

The ongoing Pakistan debate

According to the PTA report – as reported by The Express Tribune – the ever-growing reliance on the best VPN apps “has put additional pressure on Pakistan’s internet infrastructure.”

This is because, authorities explain, virtual private network (VPN) services bypass local content delivery networks (CDNs), causing inefficiencies. Additionally, hefty VPN usage is also behind significant economic losses “due to increased reliance on foreign exchange.”

As per the PTA data, VPN bandwidth usage peaked at 634 Gbps in August, 597 Gbps in September, 815 Gbps in October, and 378 Gbps in November.

These numbers certainly do not come as a surprise. Pakistanis have turned en masse to VPNs since the beginning of the year as a means to bypass stringent online restrictions.

X (formerly Twitter) has been inaccessible without a VPN since February. Meta’s Facebook and Instagram were also restricted in July 2024 and May 2023, respectively, according to Surfshark’s Internet Tracker. Bluesky and WhatsApp were the latest social media platforms blocked in the country this year.

It was in this context that the PTA first shared plans to regulate the use of VPNs as a way to curb misuse back in August. Authorities would later deem unregistered VPNs a “security risk” for Pakistan as they can be used to access “sensitive data.”

The PTA then set a deadline for November 30, 2024, to begin implementing the new policy, urging businesses and freelance workers to register their services to avoid any disruptions. As the registration deadline expired, however, it was revealed that Pakistan doesn’t have any legal grounds to ban VPNs, according to Pakistan’s Law Ministry.

On December 19, 2024, the PTA shared some new directives that require VPN companies to obtain a Class License for Data Services to operate within the country. VPN providers will also be forced to collect and share users’ information usage with authorities upon request – de facto going against their strict no-log VPN policies.

While it’s too early to know if such an attempt to regulate VPN usage will be successful this time, it certainly kicks off a new phase for the PTA’s quest to regulate the use of these services in Pakistan.