PTA Licenses 8 VPN Providers in Pakistan, 4 Granted Operational Approval

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has licensed eight Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers in the country, with four of them receiving authorization to begin operations.

The approved providers include:

• Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. (PTCL)

• National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC)

• Alpha 3 Cubic (Private) Limited, operating under the brand Steer Lucid

• Zettabyte (Private) Limited, offering services as Crest VPN

PTA is carrying out the licensing process under the Broadband Policy of 2004, which categorizes VPNs as a Value-Added Service (VAS). As per the policy framework, VPN services are regulated through a formal registration and licensing mechanism.

To date, the authority has received nine applications for VPN licensing. This includes submissions from organizations and industry bodies such as the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT).

Read More: VPN Companies Can Now Get Licenses from PTA

In response to criticism over delays, PTA has rejected claims of slow progress, stating that the process is transparent, ongoing, and not bound by any quota or fixed number of licenses. According to the authority, all applications are being processed by the defined policy.

On the issue of unregistered VPNs, PTA clarified that enforcement actions are carried out within the scope of current regulatory and policy guidelines. The authority continues to monitor VPN usage to ensure compliance with the law.

So far, PTA has received nine applications for VPN licenses. These include requests from organizations like the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), and the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication (MoITT).

Some critics have claimed the process is too slow. PTA has rejected these claims. The authority says the process is transparent and ongoing. There is no fixed quota for how many providers can be licensed.

All applications are being processed under the current policy. Regarding unregistered VPNs, PTA says enforcement follows existing regulations. The authority continues to monitor VPN activity to ensure legal compliance.

Read More: No VPN Provider Applied Under PTA’s VPN Registration

PTA emphasized that the goal of the licensing regime is to:

• Safeguard the rights of licensed service providers

• Encourage growth and innovation in the telecom and IT sectors

• Protect consumer interests and ensure a secure digital environment

The licensing of VPN providers is part of broader efforts to strengthen governance in Pakistan’s digital ecosystem, while supporting the responsible use of encrypted communication services.