Bilal Ahmed 
(C)Times Now,debate deepens on vpn restrictions in pakistan after pm shehbaz sharifs x posts
Scores of internet users in Pakistan have been reporting major disruptions to VPN services. There have been reports of “throttled connectivity” and “restrictive access”. Netizens have been raising concerns about issues in VPN Unlimited and TunnelBear.
This surge in access issues comes just days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump on his election. In the post on X, he noted his interest in further strengthening and broadening the Pakistan-US bilateral partnership.
The post attracted scrutiny and sparked a debate online. X attached a community note to the post, pointing out that PM Sharif himself had banned the social media platform in the country and is likely using a VPN to access it, calling it illegal.
Is Pakistan’s ban on X an infringement on digital rights?
The community note is no longer attached to the Pakistani Prime Minister’s post congratulating Trump. But it definitely intensified debates over VPN usage. Some citizens argued that restrictive internet policies compel even officials to bypass regulations.
Sharif’s other post on congratulating the cricket team of Pakistan also included a community note (not attached anymore). In February 2024, the country banned X as authorities quoted “national security concerns” as reasons.
Despite the restrictions, the social media platform still remains an important medium for official statements from the government. Critics argue that the ban is an infringement on digital rights, stressing that the restrictions hurt access to information and free expression.
