Bluesky might be soaring in different parts of the world in terms of usage and subscriptions but one place where that won’t be happening is Pakistan.
The country has added the popular social media app to its list of blocked platforms despite the world turning to Bluesky as the next best alternative to X. For many, the report is not too surprising considering how the country had previously banned X.
This news was first published by online watchdog NetBlocks which says the block has been in place since November 20th, 2024. Other platforms facing the same fate in the country include X who has faced restrictions since February of this year. Meanwhile, a brief restriction was seen on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook in the past.
Amid Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest, many users in the country reported how they faced issues accessing the app’s services as the list of banned apps continues to increase. It also targets VPN services which has resulted in widespread outrage and disruption in the nation’s tech sector.
The restriction comes at the same time the Pakistani government issued orders for all VPNs to be barred and only those that are registered to be accessible. This means the tools used to access blocked apps are also under scrutiny, creating further hardships for many in the country.
The government authorities set out November 30 as the final deadline for companies and freelancers to register VPNs and prevent more disruptions in their service.
For now, it’s not quite clear if all commercial VPNs will witness a block too. But we can claim that the nation’s head of religious affairs did claim that using the VPN tool was against Islamic Law and therefore a ban was the best solution (which is a notion not supported by many in business sector and education community).
Meanwhile, the country’s Minister for Interior added that all unlawful VPNs would undergo a ban as terrorists use the tool to assist with violent activities and carry out financial transactions in the country.
Speaking to DIW, one leading VPN provider’s spokesperson shared how such news is worrisome and gives rise to a difficult trend of censoring the internet and free speech. It similarly restricts people’s digital rights in the country that calls itself democratic.
Image: DIW-AIgen
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The country has added the popular social media app to its list of blocked platforms despite the world turning to Bluesky as the next best alternative to X. For many, the report is not too surprising considering how the country had previously banned X.
This news was first published by online watchdog NetBlocks which says the block has been in place since November 20th, 2024. Other platforms facing the same fate in the country include X who has faced restrictions since February of this year. Meanwhile, a brief restriction was seen on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook in the past.
Amid Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest, many users in the country reported how they faced issues accessing the app’s services as the list of banned apps continues to increase. It also targets VPN services which has resulted in widespread outrage and disruption in the nation’s tech sector.
The restriction comes at the same time the Pakistani government issued orders for all VPNs to be barred and only those that are registered to be accessible. This means the tools used to access blocked apps are also under scrutiny, creating further hardships for many in the country.
The government authorities set out November 30 as the final deadline for companies and freelancers to register VPNs and prevent more disruptions in their service.
For now, it’s not quite clear if all commercial VPNs will witness a block too. But we can claim that the nation’s head of religious affairs did claim that using the VPN tool was against Islamic Law and therefore a ban was the best solution (which is a notion not supported by many in business sector and education community).
Meanwhile, the country’s Minister for Interior added that all unlawful VPNs would undergo a ban as terrorists use the tool to assist with violent activities and carry out financial transactions in the country.
Speaking to DIW, one leading VPN provider’s spokesperson shared how such news is worrisome and gives rise to a difficult trend of censoring the internet and free speech. It similarly restricts people’s digital rights in the country that calls itself democratic.
As the Pakistani government tightens its grip on internet access by banning platforms like Bluesky and targeting VPN services, users seeking to bypass restrictions may look toward alternative tools. One notable option is the Tor Browser, an open-source, free tool widely considered to offer superior privacy protection compared to conventional VPNs. Tor encrypts your internet traffic through multiple layers of encryption—at least three—making it harder for authorities to track or monitor online activity. By routing your connection through a network of volunteer-operated servers, it also conceals your IP address, further protecting your identity.
However, while Tor provides enhanced security, it’s not without its challenges. The browser's decentralized nature can result in slower internet speeds due to the traffic being routed through multiple nodes. Additionally, in countries like Pakistan, where government censorship is increasing, Tor may face its own hurdles, including being blocked or throttled by the authorities.
In such an environment, where both VPN and platform access are under scrutiny, users must stay informed about the tools they rely on and the potential risks they may face. Though the fight for digital freedoms and privacy continues, the growing trend of censorship and government surveillance underscores the importance of maintaining secure and unrestricted access to the internet for all.
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