Maulana Tariq Jameel took exception to the fatwa on VPNs by the Council of Islamic Ideology, calling it an erroneous pronouncement and a ‘mental illness.’
The recent pronouncement/fatwa issued by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on virtual private networks (VPNs) has been condemned by prominent Pakistani scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel as outdated and a ‘mental issue’.
Also Read: PTA Streamlines VPN Registration for Organizations and Freelancers
Comments of Tsultani Zia Mohtesib
On the private news channel, Maulana Tariq Jameel spoke about the issue of this Fatwa. He asked, however, why the fatwa contradicted logic. “I don’t know which Sharai council has given the fatwa. This also states that mobile phones are banned since a lot of inappropriate content is available without VPN. I do not believe this fatwa is logical,” he concluded.
He also issued his opinion on the matter “This is a mental issue. As far as I can see, this is not appropriate.”
Position of the Council
The Council of Islamic Ideology stated that using VPNs is against the principles of Islam and that the use of VPNs in order to access “contradictory or illegal materials” is prohibited under Shari’a and might facilitate the “propagation of vice”. The council commended the government’s effort in banning the use of VPNs, and went as far as siding with such actions.
Also Read: Pakistan Islamic Council Declares VPN Use ‘Haram’
Public Response and the Internet Problem
After the declaration of the CII, many internet users in Pakistan claimed to have faced challenges in accessing VPNs as well as slow internet service. The federal government has declared centered deadline by which citizens and corporations VPNs must be registered to avert restricted usage is November 30th, 2024.
To sum up
Maulana Tariq Jameel’s comments about CII’s fatwa have led to a discussion on the reasoning behind and impact of such fatwas. With the timeline for the registration of VPNs fast approaching, it will be interesting to see how these measures will be conducted to accommodate internet users in Pakistan.