ISLAMABAD: Renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel has rejected the Fatwa of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) against the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
In a statement on Friday, the Council of Islamic Ideology declared the use of VPNs as un-Islamic. Chairman CII Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi said the government has the right to curb evil and prevent access to it.
Responding to a question in a talk show on a private news channel, Maulana Tariq termed the fatwa against the VPNs as wrong. Maulana stated that even mobile phones are forbidden in that way as they can also be used to access immoral and offensive content.
Council of Islamic Ideology, in its statement, declared that taking measures to prevent or restrict access to immoral and offensive content is in accordance with the Sharia.
Dr Raghib said using a VPN to access illegal content or blocked websites is against the Shariah. He further said online theft is also possible through VPN without leaving any traces.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Interior wrote a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) seeking to block illegal Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) across Pakistan, citing its threat to national security.
“VPNs are increasingly being exploited by the terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan,” the ministry’s letter stated.
The ministry’s letter further pointed out that “Pakistan is considered as one of the countries where porn sites are frequently visited by using VPNs,” adding that these trends warrant prohibition of unauthorized VPNs to address the critical threats.
