News Desk

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has reported a concerning rise in the number of attempts to access pornographic content in the country. According to PTA officials, over 20 million attempts to reach adult websites are blocked daily at Pakistan’s international gateway. The surge in such online activity comes despite ongoing efforts by the PTA to curb access to offensive and illegal content.

As part of its continued crackdown on online material deemed inappropriate, the PTA has blocked more than 900,000 links to pornographic and other offensive sites. The move is part of the regulatory body’s broader efforts to safeguard digital spaces from harmful content, particularly material that violates local cultural and religious norms.

A PTA spokesperson highlighted that Pakistan remains one of the top countries globally for VPN (Virtual Private Network) usage, with many users attempting to bypass these restrictions. VPNs, commonly used to mask a user’s location, are frequently employed by individuals trying to access blocked content, including pornography. “Despite our efforts, VPNs are often used to circumvent restrictions, leading to daily attempts to access blocked sites,” the spokesperson noted.

The PTA has ramped up its vigilance, focusing on blocking websites that disseminate harmful or offensive content. The authority has been working with citizens and government bodies to identify and flag such sites, further expanding its efforts to keep the internet a safer space for Pakistani users.

The issue of online pornography and illicit content is not just a national concern but a global one. As part of its strategy, the PTA continues to cooperate with international organizations and telecom operators to manage access to potentially harmful websites. However, the persistent use of VPNs highlights the ongoing challenges of enforcing internet restrictions in a digitally connected world.