Pakistan has added Bluesky to a growing list of blocked social platforms, according to reporting tied to internet watchdog NetBlocks, while authorities continue tightening rules around VPN use.
On the date, 2024-11-21, TechRadar reported that Bluesky had been restricted in Pakistan as users flocked to the X alternative. The report said NetBlocks had confirmed the outage on November 20, and that the block arrived alongside a broader government push to regulate or restrict VPN services.
The timing matters. VPNs are one of the main tools people use to reach blocked services, so a social-media ban and a VPN crackdown reinforce each other. The report said Pakistani authorities set November 30 as the deadline for businesses and freelancers to register their VPNs or face further disruptions, though it remained unclear whether commercial VPNs would also be blocked.
The broader internet context in Pakistan has already been restrictive. According to the TechRadar piece, X has been restricted since February, while Facebook and Instagram faced earlier blocks. That history makes the Bluesky action look less like a one-off and more like part of an ongoing pattern of platform controls.
The VPN story is just as important as the Bluesky block. The report said Pakistan’s religious chief had recently argued that using a VPN is against Islamic law and called for a ban, while the Ministry of Interior also urged restrictions on “illegal” VPNs. Officials said terrorists used such tools for violent activity and financial transactions.
For users inside Pakistan, that means access to social media is becoming a moving target. If the block holds and the VPN deadline triggers new disruption, the country’s users may find it harder to reach not just Bluesky but other services that sit behind similar restrictions.
The report included a cautious note that, at the time of writing, VPNs still appeared to be a viable workaround for accessing Bluesky. But that may only be temporary. The point of the new registration system is to make the workaround harder to rely on, and the government’s rhetoric suggests more intervention could follow.
The net effect is a familiar one for digital-rights watchers: a platform ban paired with pressure on the tools needed to bypass the ban. That combination leaves users with less room to maneuver and creates more uncertainty for businesses and freelancers who depend on consistent internet access.
In practical terms, Bluesky’s restriction is another reminder that app growth does not always translate into open access. In Pakistan, popularity appears to have come hand in hand with new barriers.
