Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi clarified that there has been no discussion about imposing a blanket ban on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). VPNs are widely used worldwide to bypass restrictions and access blocked content, with many in Pakistan using them for platforms like X and other restricted sites.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recently disclosed that it has blocked over 100,183 URLs containing blasphemous material and 844,008 indecent websites. The authority also reported blocking 20 million daily attempts to access indecent sites through the international gateway.
Last week, the CII labeled VPN usage as “un-Islamic” following a request from the Interior Ministry for the PTA to restrict illegal VPNs nationwide.
Dr. Naeemi emphasized the government’s responsibility to prevent access to immoral or harmful content based on Islamic principles. He clarified that this recommendation was part of the council’s discussions on June 6–7, 2023, and later forwarded to relevant authorities, including the PTA.
While acknowledging that VPNs used for unlawful purposes are un-Islamic, he mentioned exceptions could apply under certain circumstances.
PML-N leader Nasir Butt commented that many users have already registered their VPNs under existing regulations. He stressed that there is no plan to ban VPNs outright and highlighted the importance of ensuring their use within a legal framework to prevent misuse.
