The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, has called for a nationwide crackdown on unauthorized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), citing their misuse by terrorists, financial criminals, and individuals accessing prohibited content.
The move comes alongside recommendations by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to restrict VPNs, terming their misuse un-Islamic.
A letter issued by the Interior Ministry highlights alarming concerns over the use of VPNs to bypass restrictions, hide communication, and conduct financial transactions linked to terrorism.
The document also underscores the misuse of VPNs to access pornographic and blasphemous websites, stating that Pakistan ranks among the top countries for visiting such sites using VPNs.
The FIA noted that the growing trend of unauthorized VPN usage poses significant security and ethical challenges.
In response, the Ministry of Interior has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to immediately block unregistered VPNs and enforce stricter regulations. Legitimate VPN users have been asked to register with the PTA by November 30, 2024, to maintain uninterrupted access to their services.
The CII Chairman, Allama Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, earlier declared the misuse of VPNs for accessing blocked and unethical content as un-Islamic. He stated that restricting VPNs aligns with Islamic principles and the council’s recommendations.
Dr. Naeemi emphasized that using VPNs to bypass restrictions and access prohibited material constitutes ‘assistance in sin,’ which is forbidden in Islam.
The Interior Ministry’s letter also highlighted the dual threat posed by VPNs: compromising national security and fostering unethical practices. It called for the development of a robust mechanism to regulate VPN usage, including mandatory registration and monitoring of virtual private networks operating in Pakistan.
Dr. Naeemi reiterated the need for stricter regulations, noting that while VPNs are useful tools for security and privacy, their misuse for unethical purposes, such as accessing obscene material and facilitating cybercrimes, violates both Islamic and societal laws. He also praised the government’s efforts to block VPNs being used to access websites restricted for moral and social reasons.
