Maulana Tariq Jamil
In response to the recent fatwa issued by Pakistan’s Islamic Ideological Council declaring Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as un-Islamic (haram), renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil has expressed his disagreement with the ruling.
He raised concerns about the rationale behind the decision, suggesting that if VPNs are deemed haram, then mobile phones should also be categorized in the same way.
According to Maulana Jamil, mobile phones, much like VPNs, have the potential to access restricted content, including pornography and other material considered inappropriate by certain religious standards.
Thus, he questioned the inconsistency in the ruling and suggested that it overlooked the broader implications of mobile phone usage.
Speaking on a private television channel, Maulana Tariq Jamil emphasized that he was unfamiliar with the specific religious council that issued the fatwa but argued that declaring VPNs as un-Islamic was too narrow a perspective.
He highlighted that mobile phones, which have become an essential part of everyday life, can easily access content that could be seen as more harmful than the use of VPNs.
Maulana Jamil pointed out that this selective approach failed to consider the more significant issues present in everyday technology, such as the potential for mobile phones to access inappropriate or harmful content.
The fatwa by the Islamic Ideological Council had raised alarms due to its potential to limit internet freedoms, with the council citing the concern that VPNs allow users to bypass internet censorship and access prohibited materials.
This fatwa came at a time when the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had already been working to block unregistered VPNs, claiming they were being used not only for accessing banned material but also by terrorists.
In addition to the fatwa and PTA actions, the Ministry of Interior recently directed the PTA to block all illegal VPNs in the country, arguing that these networks were being used for illicit activities such as accessing pornographic and blasphemous content.
The government’s crackdown on VPNs comes amid ongoing internet disruptions in Pakistan, particularly the widely discussed ban on X (formerly Twitter).
The government’s move to restrict access to X has been controversial, with many, including key political figures such as PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, raising concerns over the impact on free speech and access to information.
The issue of internet censorship and the use of VPNs has sparked intense debate within Pakistan.
Critics argue that such restrictions infringe on individual rights and access to global platforms, while the government and religious authorities maintain that these measures are necessary to protect society from harmful content and safeguard national security.
This debate highlights the ongoing tension between technological advancements, religious interpretations, and the need for broader discussions on internet freedom in Pakistan.
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