In a major development, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Friday declared the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) against Sharia (Islamic laws).

In a statement, CII President Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi said it is within the jurisdiction of the government and the state, in accordance with Sharia, to prevent actions that lead to immorality or facilitate access to harmful content.

Measures such as restricting VPNs align with Islamic principles and the council’s recommendations and are therefore commendable, he added.

In response to a question on whether the use of VPN is permissible under Shariah, especially when used to access blocked or illegal websites, Dr. Naeemi clarified that VPNs, while technically a tool for security and privacy, are often misused to access prohibited content.

These include obscene websites, platforms that spread misinformation or those that promote anarchy within society, he said, adding that VPNs are also used for online theft and fraud, making it difficult to track down cybercriminals.

According to Islamic principles, he said the permissibility of any act depends on the intention and method of its use. He said that using VPNs for illegal purposes directly violates both Islamic and societal laws. Furthermore, he said that Muslims are bound to obey the laws of the state, provided they do not contravene Islamic principles.

He warned that circumventing restrictions on blocked websites not only violates national laws but is also against Islamic ethical principles.

The development came hours after the Ministry of Interior wrote a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block illegal VPNs, highlighting the growing risks to national security and public morality.

“VPNs are increasingly being exploited by terrorists,” said the ministry’s letter, a copy of which was obtained by Geo News, “(…) to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan.”

“Off late, an alarming fact has been identified that VPNs are being used by terrorists to hide and conceal their communications.”

Additionally, unregulated VPNs have also been used to discreetly access pornographic and blasphemous content, it added.

VPNs are commonly used around the world to bypass restricted content.

In Pakistan, the use of VPNs has seen a surge after authorities banned social media site X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year due to “national security” concerns.

However, when it comes to abusing it, Pakistanis make up to 20 million daily attempts to access explicitly blocked content through unregistered virtual private networks, despite government restrictions.

Pointing to another issue related to public morality, the ministry stated that “Pakistan is considered one of the countries where porn sites are frequently visited through the use of VPNs, however, these trends justify banning unauthorized virtual private networks to address critical threats”.

In its official request to ban these illegitimate platforms, the PTA was asked to “block illegal VPNs in Pakistan so that registered VPN users are not affected.”

“Furthermore, registration of VPNs with PTA can also be done till November 30, 2024,” he said.

— With additional input from the APP