Islamabad: News Desk
In a significant development, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block all unauthorized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in the country. A formal directive, issued by FIA, highlighted the misuse of VPNs by terrorists for concealing communications, facilitating violent activities, and conducting illicit financial transactions.
The letter raised alarms over VPNs being exploited to discreetly access pornographic and blasphemous content, further stating that Pakistan ranks among the leading countries accessing pornographic websites through VPNs. It emphasized the urgent need to address these critical threats by prohibiting unauthorized VPNs while ensuring that legitimate, registered users remain unaffected. The letter also called for the mandatory registration of VPNs with the PTA by November 30, 2024.
This directive aligns with recommendations by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), which recently declared the misuse of VPNs for accessing prohibited or illegal content as un-Islamic. The Chairman of CII, Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi, emphasized that such practices violate both Islamic principles and societal norms. He stressed the government’s Sharia-based authority to curb actions leading to immorality or wrongdoing, including bypassing legal restrictions on internet content.
Dr. Naeemi highlighted the ethical challenges posed by VPNs, which are often used to access blasphemous or immoral material, as well as platforms spreading misinformation or inciting unrest. He described such actions as “assistance in sin,” which is strictly forbidden in Islam.
The FIA’s letter and the CII’s statements are part of a broader effort to regulate online activity in Pakistan. The CII previously recommended steps such as expediting the registration of social media platforms, enforcing bans on VPNs, and launching public awareness campaigns about ethical internet use.
