Proton VPN Hit by Network Restrictions as Pakistan Expands Internet Controls

As reported by TechJuice previously, the fears of many came true. Pakistan has begun enforcing blocks on unregistered virtual private network (VPN) services, with major providers such as Proton VPN reportedly restricted across local internet service providers (ISPs) since late December 2025, according to official statements from Proton VPN.

According to Proton VPN’s general management communication to media and observers, its VPN applications have experienced service restrictions in Pakistan since December 22, 2025. Users attempting to connect via Proton VPN have reported connection failures, inability to access VPN servers, and difficulties reaching the Proton VPN website without a VPN active first. Proton VPN is a Switzerland-based provider widely used for secure and uncensored access.

As reported on Reddit communities, here is the response:

These reports are consistent across multiple Reddit community threads where Pakistani users express confusion over the sudden loss of Proton VPN connectivity, noting that both the Proton app and browser extension fail to establish usable connections. Some users commented that they must themselves use a VPN just to access the Proton VPN site, suggesting localized ISP or national-level filtering mechanisms targeting the service. Oddly enough, there are a handful comments on TechJuice’s social media posts that suggest Proton VPN is working fine for them.

The lack of a narrative from the governing bodies can be explained in the light of Pakistan’s complex relationship with internet restrictions and VPN usage. In 2024, authorities proposed requiring all commercial VPNs to register with PTA and faced significant pushback before withdrawing the formal ban plan due to legal concerns.

VPN usage in Pakistan has seen extraordinary growth in recent years, often tied to social media platform restrictions and broader internet censorship. Independent metrics and regional analyses previously recorded usage increases as high as 6,000%, with Proton and other VPN providers experiencing spikes in demand as citizens sought access to blocked services and secure communications.

However, a few weeks ago, Reddit users started posting their inability to use the said service, prompting TechJuice to do a detailed analysis. You can read that here.