In Pakistan, the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) has increased dramatically, especially after stricter controls were imposed on social media platforms. The demand for VPNs surged by 102% on November 25 and a staggering 213% on November 26. This sharp rise reflects how people are relying more on VPNs to bypass the digital restrictions, as popular platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook have been facing disruptions.
Many citizens have expressed frustration due to the lack of clear explanations from the government regarding these disruptions. As a result, they are turning to VPNs to continue accessing these platforms without interruptions, even though they are dealing with slower internet speeds in the process.
The government has confirmed that there are planned internet disruptions in specific areas for security reasons. However, there has been no official statement provided about the social media outages that have been affecting users across the country. This situation highlights the growing reliance on VPNs in Pakistan as a tool to maintain access to digital services in the face of increasing restrictions.
