More than a week later, VPN services have become the next victim of the ongoing disruption to Pakistan’s popular social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities began blocking X on the night of February 17, following a wave of protests across the United States after government officials admitted to rigging the election results.
However, citizens did not so easily give up the opportunity to participate in social media sites. En masse, they used virtual private networks to spoof IP addresses and circumvent geo-restrictions. Experts estimate that since then, demand for security software will increase by more than 130%. Many VPN apps are now reported to have stopped working, making it appear that Pakistan’s level of censorship has further increased.
A record year for censorship
“Pakistan’s internet censorship efforts have increased alarmingly, and 2024 could be a record year for the country in terms of internet regulation,” Lina Saavila, a spokesperson for VPN provider Surfshark, told TechRadar.
Just about two months into the new year, Pakistanis have already been plunged into digital darkness five times. The first two strikes this year occurred in January, when major social media platforms went black during online events organized by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, PTI.
A month later, authorities cut off internet connectivity on election day. The blackout, which the government justified as a security measure, helped solidify concerns about possible vote manipulation, Alp Toker, founder of internet watchdog group NetBlocks, told me at the time. “This is a major setback for Pakistan’s democracy.”
After Liaqat Ali Chatta, a senior Pakistani official, revealed his involvement in vote rigging (a claim he was expected to retract days later), citizens took to the streets to express their dissent and organize street demonstrations. Crowded with X. That’s when the government began restricting access to the site without warning or explanation. But Pakistanis have been able to get around these restrictions, at least until now.
In this regard, Surfshark’s Survila said: “Reports regarding VPN restrictions have also come to light, and it appears the country is prepared to do whatever it takes to cut off its citizens from each other and the rest of the world. ” he said.
⚠️ Update: Live metrics show #Pakistan’s X/Twitter restrictions continue into day 7. VPN services are also widely restricted, with users facing increasing difficulty getting online amid growing concerns about voter fraud after elections held under a telecommunications shutdown pic.twitter. com/QQdgSwyyuYFebruary 23, 2024
The Islamabad-based digital rights advocacy group Bite for All investigated the government’s increased censorship tactics. After investigating the network, we concluded that X’s blocking was implemented through a less common HTTP blocking method. Experts believe that this may indicate an existing cooperation between the authorities and her CDN provider (content delivery network).
“Although it is possible for the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to block access to Twitter using methods such as DNS filtering, IP blocking, and deep packet inspection (DPI), certain CDN providers like Akamai Technologies “Blocking content from can be more difficult and less common,” the report says.
If that wasn’t enough, the social media blackout is now in its 10th day. NetBlocks is also registered Internet connectivity deteriorates across Balochistan region. Toker told me that so far this does not appear to be connected to other politically motivated outages.
What is certain is that digital freedom is not the only casualty of the continued damage to the internet.
Pakistan’s economy has also been adversely affected, with the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics recording a loss of 1.3 billion rupees last year. In 2023, Pakistan ranked third among countries with the most online restrictions. The toll could be even greater this year, as democratic values appear to be crumbling by the day.
Now, VPN service Surfshark is asking users in Pakistan to get in touch if they are having trouble getting the app to work, as solutions will be on a case-by-case basis. Your provider also recommends that you understand how to avoid internet shutdowns. Check out the digital survival kit prepared by Surfshark in collaboration with NetBlocks (video above).
At the same time, Proton VPN, one of the best free VPN services on the market, has seen a steady increase in VPN sign-ups throughout the month, with Pakistan’s large user base able to circumvent restrictions despite further blocks. We believe we should be well equipped to continue. .
“Proton VPN has invested heavily in anti-censorship technology that other purely commercial VPNs do not, so it tends to be more resistant to censorship, including blocking the VPN,” says Proton VPN Antonio Cesarano, head of product at , told me.
