The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has declared the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) as “un-Islamic” and against Sharia law.
This announcement comes as the Interior Ministry directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block “illegal VPNs” nationwide.
CII Chairman Allama Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi said in a statement that the government has the Sharia-endorsed authority to counter actions that lead to immorality or illegality. “Using the internet or software like VPNs to access immoral or illegal activities is strictly prohibited in Islam. Accessing blocked websites or illegal content via VPNs is illegitimate under Sharia,” he said.
Naeemi further said that the government and state are empowered to implement measures to curb such activities. Blocking VPNs to prevent access to offensive or immoral content aligns with Islamic principles and the Council’s recommendations. “We commend and fully support these actions, considering them praiseworthy,” he added.
On Friday, the Interior Ministry instructed the PTA to crack down on unauthorized VPN usage, citing concerns that VPNs are being exploited by terrorists to facilitate violent activities and access pornographic or blasphemous content.
VPNs, widely used globally to bypass geographic restrictions or access blocked websites, are often utilized in Pakistan for similar purposes. On Wednesday, the PTA announced plans to restrict VPN usage further, aiming to limit access to pornographic material.
This decision follows disruptions on Sunday that left many VPNs inoperable across the country.
