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The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), which is a constitutional body of Pakistan, responsible for giving legal advice on Islamic issues to the government and the Parliament has declared that using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to access blocked content on the internet is against Sharia or Islamic law.
The statement comes as Pakistan authorities deploy a nationwide internet firewall which they claim as a cybersecurity upgrade. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has asked commercial consumers to register their respective VPNs via the PTA’s website.
“Members of the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) can also avail this facility, and the registration involves completing online form and providing basic details, including CNIC, company registration details, taxpayer status,” the PTA stated.
The CII chief Dr Raghib Naeemi claimed that accessing “immoral or illegal content” on the internet is against Sharia. However, as per a Dawn report, Pakistan’s federal and provincial officials and departments continue to use VPNs in order to operate their respective X accounts.
Critics have said that adding any kind of firewall on the internet increases online surveillance and restricts freedom of expression. The CII has been criticized for its stance regarding the usage of VPNs.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) allow users to hide their identity and location and access the online content which is blocked in the country by maintaining privacy and security.
The Interior ministry of Pakistan sent a letter to PTA to block illegal VPNs in the country, claiming that they were being used by terrorists as a cyber tool.
The Interior ministry’s letter to PTA stated, “VPNs are increasingly being exploited by terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan. Pakistan is also considered as one of the leading [countries] in terms of [people] visiting porn sites using VPNs. However, these trends warrant prohibition of unauthorized VPNs to address the critical threats,” according to a Voice of America report.
The Dawn reported that PTA claims that around 20,000 companies and freelancers have already registered their VPNs.
