Chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), Allama Raghib Naeemi, clarified his earlier statement regarding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), attributing the controversy to a typographical error. He emphasized that VPNs were not declared un-Islamic or ‘haram’.
The clarification came after a recent CII statement allegedly termed the use of VPNs as un-Islamic, prompting the Ministry of Interior to instruct the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block unregistered VPNs. Following this directive, PTA reportedly blocked several VPN services.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Allama Raghib Naeemi addressed the matter, stating, “Social media is a powerful tool for sharing thoughts and opinions. However, its misuse for blasphemy, sectarianism, or extremist activities is unacceptable.”
He added, “If these rules are violated, then the use of social media would indeed become un-Islamic.” The CII chairman clarified that no one from the council declared VPNs un-Islamic or impermissible.
“The misunderstanding arose due to a typographical error in our issued statement. The omission of the word ‘not’ led to confusion,” he explained. Allama Naeemi further emphasized the responsible use of social media, urging the public to avoid activities that promote hatred, terrorism, or religious intolerance.