In a serious growth, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Friday declared the usage of Digital Personal Networks (VPNs) towards Sharia (Islamic legal guidelines).
In an announcement, CII Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi mentioned that it’s throughout the authority of the federal government and the state, in accordance with Shariah, to forestall actions that result in immorality or facilitate entry to dangerous content material.
Measures reminiscent of limiting VPNs align with Islamic rules and the council’s suggestions, and are subsequently commendable, he added.
In response to a question on whether or not VPN utilization is permissible underneath Shariah, particularly when used to entry blocked or unlawful web sites, Dr Naeemi clarified that VPNs, whereas technically a software for safety and privateness, are sometimes misused to entry forbidden content material.
These embrace obscene web sites, platforms spreading misinformation, or these fostering anarchy inside society, he mentioned, including that VPNs are additionally used for on-line theft and fraud, making it troublesome to hint cybercriminals.
Beneath Islamic rules, he mentioned that the permissibility of any act is determined by its intent and technique of use. He mentioned utilizing VPNs for illegal functions straight violates each Islamic and societal legal guidelines. Moreover, he mentioned Muslims are obligated to respect state legal guidelines, offered they don’t contradict Islamic rules.
He warned that bypassing restrictions on blocked web sites not solely violates nationwide legal guidelines but in addition goes towards Islamic moral rules.
The event got here hours after the Ministry of Inside wrote a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to dam unlawful VPNs, highlighting growing dangers to nationwide safety and public morality.
“VPNs are more and more being exploited by the terrorists,” said the ministry’s letter, a duplicate of which obtained by Geo Information, “[…] to facilitate violent actions and monetary transactions in Pakistan.”
“Off late, an alarming truth has been recognized, whereby VPNs are utilized by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications.”
Moreover, the unregulated VPNs had been additionally getting used for discreetly accessing pornographic and blasphemous content material, it added.
VPNs are generally used worldwide to bypass restricted content material.
In Pakistan, the usage of VPNs witnessed a spike after authorities banned social media website X (previously Twitter) earlier this yr over “nationwide safety” considerations.
Nevertheless, in relation to its misuse, Pakistanis are making as much as 20 million each day makes an attempt to entry blocked express content material by way of unregistered digital non-public networks, regardless of authorities restrictions.
Pointing to a different subject associated to public morality, the ministry said that “Pakistan is taken into account one of many nations the place porn websites are continuously visited through the use of VPNs, nonetheless, these traits warrant the prohibition of unauthorised digital non-public networks to deal with the important threats”.
In its formal request to ban these illegitimate platforms, the PTA was requested to “block unlawful VPNs throughout Pakistan in order that registered VPN customers is probably not affected”.
“As well as, registration of VPNs with PTA may be made until November 30, 2024,” it asserted.
— With further enter from APP