The government conducted a six-hour trial on Sunday that blocked more than two dozen Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), marking a significant development in internet regulation in Pakistan.

According to The News, this temporary blockage, which occurred from 4 PM to 10 PM, was the first time a government firewall had a noticeable impact on internet users nationwide.

Both premium and locally accessed VPNs experienced outages, according to a government official familiar with the situation. An insider noted, “The trial blockage of over 20 VPNs was successful, although our current infrastructure struggles to manage the load,” highlighting challenges in maintaining such controls.

The VPN restrictions were lifted after pushback from businesses that rely on VPNs for secure and efficient communication. Going forward, unregistered VPN users may face potential blocks as the government strengthens its firewall capabilities.

In response to rumors in September about possible VPN restrictions, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority clarified that it did not plan to block VPNs. However, it encouraged businesses—including IT companies, software houses, freelancers, and banks—to register their IPs to maintain uninterrupted VPN access. Those registering are required to specify their intended use and business activities.

VPNs are widely used around the world to bypass content restrictions. In Pakistan, for example, citizens have used VPNs to access the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which has been banned for several months. The government has stated it will not lift the ban on X until it formally registers in Pakistan.

This VPN trial was the first demonstration of the newly installed firewall. The experiment revealed limitations in the country’s internet infrastructure, with noticeable slowdowns reported during the firewall’s activation. Officials are now considering technical adjustments to alleviate system strain while balancing regulation with the need for smooth internet performance.