VPN services, long considered essential for privacy, access, and security, have become increasingly unreliable in Pakistan. Users report inconsistent performance, with some days offering seamless connections, while on others, VPNs stall, crash, or fail entirely. This has left many in limbo, disrupting work, communication, and access to online services.
Proton VPN, widely known for its no-logs policy and Stealth protocol, has been at the center of these issues for over ten months. Once trusted by journalists, activists, and everyday users to bypass censorship and throttling, the service now faces intermittent outages, failed protocols, and even downtime on its website.
Online reports reveal frustrated users. Some have been locked out of platforms like GitHub despite having an internet connection, while others noted they had to switch to alternative tools such as Bitwarden. One user commented, “The whole point of a VPN is to bypass censorship. The fact these fail means they’re basically useless.”
The disruptions began after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) crackdown on unregistered VPNs in 2024–2025. Using advanced deep packet inspection, the PTA detects VPN protocols and IPs, often throttling or blocking them. While Proton VPN’s Stealth mode initially bypassed these measures, complaints surged by early 2025.
Other major VPN providers, including NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, Mullvad, Cloudflare WARP, and Psiphon, have also experienced service interruptions. Users report slow speeds, dropped connections, and protocol failures, particularly on PTCL, Jazz, and Zong networks.
Registered VPNs such as Alpha 3 Cubic and Crest VPN remain unaffected, highlighting a growing divide between legal and unregistered services. Some mobile users report limited success with Cloudflare’s Zero Trust solution, but desktop access often remains blocked.
Despite widespread disruptions, no official announcements have been made. The PTA’s regulations require VPNs to register legally, labeling unregistered services as “security risks.” The crackdown, which began in November 2024, imposed a registration deadline, after which unregistered VPNs faced progressive blocking.
Pakistan ranks third globally for prolonged internet shutdowns, contributing to a surge in VPN use. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) remain blocked, driving a 100% spike in VPN downloads. Islamabad alone recorded over 27 million downloads, a 50% increase from the previous year. Analysts highlight strong demand for local VPN development, though government regulations, foreign competition, and infrastructure challenges pose obstacles for new entrants.
Also read: PTA Initiates Second VPN Shutdown Exercise
