The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has initiated the licensing process for Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers under the restored Class Value Added Services (CVAS–Data) licensing framework.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the PTA said the move aims to regulate secure and legally compliant VPN services across Pakistan while ensuring adherence to national laws, regulatory obligations, and established data security standards.
According to the authority, several companies have already been granted class licenses, including Alfa 3 Cubic (Pvt) Ltd (Stair Loosed), Zeta Byte (Pvt) Ltd (Crest VPN), Nexilium Tech (SMC-Pvt) Ltd (Kestrel VPN), UK Iconic Solutions (SMC-Pvt) Ltd (Quixor VPN), and Vision Tech 360 (Pvt) Ltd (Kryptonime VPN).
The PTA stated that these licensed entities are authorized to provide VPN services to individuals and organizations for legitimate and lawful purposes.
The statement further added that consumers can now directly obtain services from these licensed providers without needing to register their IP addresses or mobile numbers separately with the PTA. The initiative is aimed at regulatory facilitation, user convenience, and strengthening cybersecurity within Pakistan’s digital ecosystem.
Last year, the PTA allowed freelancers to register VPNs through their mobile numbers. The decision came after the government opted not to impose a ban on VPNs, as the Ministry of Law confirmed that it had no legal authority under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 to enforce such a restriction.
