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The PTA intends to “block” VPNs in Pakistan.

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Hafeezur Rehman, the chairman of the PTA, stated that exclusively authorized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) would operate in Pakistan following the implementation of the policy during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat.

Following a notable spike in the use of virtual private networks in 2024, mostly for the purpose of gaining access to the social media site X (previously known as Twitter), this action was taken.

A survey published on February 19 by Top10VPN claims that, two days after X was blocked, demand for VPNs surged by 131%. In Pakistan, new user acquisition rates increased 300–400% after the ban, according to VPN provider Surfshark.

With only 30% of users in Pakistan using VPNs to access the platform, the PTA chairman claimed that the number of X users in the country had dropped by 70% since the ban.

Question marks remain regarding the ban’s efficacy, though, given how many users manage to get around it.

According to the director of the PTA, some IT companies that rely on VPNs would fail if they were to outlaw them completely.

The fact that this is not Pakistan’s first attempt at VPN regulation should not be overlooked. Few things have come of earlier attempts, such as a registration drive in 2022 and a virtual private network law in 2010.

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Maintaining Fertiliser Price Stability: The Need for a Continuous Gas Supply to the Fertiliser Sector

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To guarantee fertiliser price stability, a cabinet committee meeting was presided over by Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister.

Senior government officials, including Industries Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, attended the meeting.

The attendees received an update on the government’s, gas suppliers’, and fertiliser industry’s conversations. Additionally, the gas supply for the fertiliser sector was evaluated and determined to be adequate.

Throughout the Rabi cropping season, the Deputy Prime Minister ordered the fertiliser industry to maintain a continuous gas supply in order to guarantee steady production and stock levels.

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Fifth Straight Cut: PM Applauds SBP’s Policy Rate Reduction

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Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has praised the State Bank of Pakistan’s decision to lower its policy rate by an additional 2 percent, stating that the bank’s current 13 percent rate is encouraging for the nation’s economy.

He expressed optimism in a statement that the policy rate cut would encourage investment and further boost investor confidence in the country’s economy.

The prime minister said that decreasing the inflation rate also lowered the policy rate and that future inflation rate reductions will be even more pronounced.

Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the Federal Finance Minister and other officials for their work in this area.

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GHQ Attack Case: Prosecution Seeks Bail Cancellation of CM KP & Other Accused, Indicts 9 More

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25 defendants, including PTI officials, have non-bailable arrest warrants issued by the Anti Terrorism Court of Rawalpindi for their failure to show up for court proceedings related to the GHQ attack case.

Judge Amjad Ali Shah added nine more suspects to the GHQ attack indictment list during today’s ATC Court sessions, bringing the total to 98.

Among the 61 defendants who appeared in court were Shah Mehmud Qureshi and the founder of the PTI.

Among those charged are Khadim Hussain Khokhar, Mehr Mohammad Javed, Chaudhary Asif, Zakir Ullah, Azeem Ullah, Shireen Mazatri, Major Retired Tahir Sadiq, and former MPA Rashid Hafeez.

A plea to cancel the bail of 23 suspects, including Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has also been filed by the prosecution side.

In the GHQ attack, there were 119 accused in total.

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