Islamic Ideology Council blames ‘clerical error’ for declaring VPN 'un-Islamic'

Dr Raghib Naeemi, Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), recently addressed the controversy surrounding his earlier remarks about VPNs, clarifying that deeming their use as “un-Islamic” and “against Shariah” was a clerical mistake.

A 10-point agenda was adopted during the CII's 240th meeting on Wednesday, which reaffirmed that Article 191 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression and access to information, provided it aligns with religious principles, national unity, and the laws of the land.

Dr Naeemi also clarified the confusion caused by his previous statement, explaining that it was the result of a “clerical error.” He asserted that one had declared VPNs un-Islamic or against Shariah and that a “typing mistake” in their earlier statement, “where the word ‘not’ was omitted, led to this misunderstanding.”

The CII Chairman further explained that the typing error in the statement from his Friday sermon was a mistake that was overlooked by his staff. He categorically rejected any pressure behind the earlier remarks, asserting that they were made independently.

Stance on blasphemous content 

Dr. Raghib Naeemi, during a press conference, addressed the government's stance on the use of VPNs to access blasphemous and vulgar content. He described it as a matter of shame for the nation that 20 million Pakistanis visit websites containing such material, including content that threatens national security.

He also reiterated the government's deadline of November 30 for VPN registration and emphasized that all users, including ministers and officials, must use registered software applications.

Dr. Naeemi further stated that whether using a VPN is un-Islamic depends on its purpose and how it is used or misused.

Previous statement

Previously, state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) reported that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has termed the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) "un-Islamic". 

CII Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, in that statement, said the federal government had the prerogative to curb evil and prevent access to it, declaring that adopting measures to prevent or restrict access to immoral and offensive content was in accordance with the Shariah.

Ironically, this was also announced on the blocked microblogging site X, which is widely used in Pakistan via VPN.