ISLAMABAD, November 18, 2024: The Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, clarified on Monday that the permissibility of using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Islam largely depends on their intended use.
Speaking on the recent fatwa (Islamic decree) issued by the CII, Dr. Naeemi explained that while VPNs themselves are not inherently un-Islamic, they become problematic if used to access immoral content or spread false propaganda.
The CII’s fatwa, issued on November 15, declared VPN use un-Islamic, primarily due to concerns over their use for accessing indecent or blasphemous material online.
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Dr. Naeemi emphasized that the government has the right to block access to harmful content, aligning such actions with Sharia law.
He cited reports showing that approximately 15 million visits were made to immoral websites daily, which influenced the council’s decision.
However, Dr. Naeemi clarified that if a VPN is used for legitimate purposes such as positive criticism or constructive engagement, there would be no issue with its use.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah responded to the CII’s fatwa, expressing his disagreement with the council’s position.
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Speaking to the media, the Prime Minister’s special assistant on political affairs said he was unaware of any government decision to block VPNs.
He also stated that the matter of VPN use was not for the CII or Dr. Naeemi to decide, calling the council’s opinion “unwarranted” and asserting that it had no connection to Sharia law.
Rana Sanaullah further clarified that the government had imposed restrictions on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) in response to their misuse, but not in relation to VPN use.