Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), clarified the council’s recent fatwa regarding the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), stating that their classification as Islamic or un-Islamic depends primarily on their usage. Speaking on Geo News’ morning show “Geo Pakistan,” Naeemi explained that VPNs, whether registered or unregistered, are deemed un-Islamic if used to access indecent content or spread false propaganda.
The CII, on November 15, declared the use of VPNs as un-Islamic, stressing the need to block access to immoral or blasphemous content online. Naeemi stated that the government has the right to curb evil and prevent access to such content, aligning with Sharia principles. He noted that the fatwa was issued in response to reports indicating that most VPN usage is for accessing indecent websites, with an estimated 15 million hits on such sites daily.
Naeemi emphasized that using registered VPNs for positive criticism poses no harm, highlighting the importance of VPN registration.
In contrast, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah expressed his lack of awareness regarding the government’s stance on blocking VPNs.
Speaking to Geo News, the Prime Minister’s special assistant on political affairs remarked that the issue of VPNs was not within the CII’s or Naeemi’s purview. He described the CII’s opinion on VPNs as unwarranted and unrelated to Sharia, clarifying that government restrictions were imposed to prevent the misuse of the social media platform X.
