With the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) terming the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) “un-Islamic”, state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) has reported all about it on X, formerly Twitter, which remains inaccessible in the country without VPN.
As per the details, the CII on Friday declared the use of VPNs as “un-Islamic”, emphasising the need to block access to immoral or blasphemous content on the internet.
CII Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, in a statement, said the federal government had the prerogative to curb evil and prevent access to it, declaring that adopting measures to prevent or restrict access to immoral and offensive content was in accordance with the Shariah.
The development came hours after the Ministry of Interior (MoI) penned a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block illegal VPNs, highlighting increasing risks to national security and public morality.
Amid criticism against the ruling by netizens and religious scholars, including Maulana Tariq Jameel, state-run PTV also reported on the CII decision.
It went on to post about the development on X, the micro-blogging website that remains inaccessible to Pakistanis without a VPN since before the February 8 general elections due to compliance issues.
“[The] Council of Islamic Ideology has declared the use of VPN in violation of Shariah,” PTV said in a post that went viral soon after.
Earlier, CII chief Dr Naeemi had also said that VPNs, while technically a tool for security and privacy, were often misused to access forbidden content.
These included obscene websites, platforms spreading misinformation, or those fostering anarchy within society, he said, adding that VPNs were also used for online theft and fraud, making it difficult to trace cybercriminals.
The CII chief said that under Islamic principles, the permissibility of any act depended on its intent and method of use. He said using VPNs for unlawful purposes directly violated both Islamic and societal laws. Furthermore, he added, Muslims were obligated to respect state laws, provided they did not contradict Islamic principles.
He warned that bypassing restrictions on blocked websites not only violated national laws but also went against Islamic ethical principles.
Meanwhile, the MoI stated in its letter that VPNs were “increasingly being exploited by terrorists” to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan. “Off late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications,” it said in a statement.
Additionally, the ministry added, unregulated VPNs were also being used for discreetly accessing pornographic and blasphemous content.