VPN fatwa

Pakistan's cyberspace has long been a battleground where the state seeks to exert control over the narrative. Over the years, authorities have ramped up efforts to regulate online content, blocking websites, throttling social media and cracking down on platforms that refuse to toe the line. Now, with the CII's fatwa against VPNs, there is growing fear that this could be yet another tool to control the digital space. In the age of the internet, where VPNs have become essential for safeguarding privacy and accessing uncensored information, branding them as haram seems like an attempt to clip the wings of information sharing.

The decree has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, including renowned Islamic scholars who question the logic behind the CII's decision. If VPNs are considered un-Islamic for their potential misuse, well-known scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil argues, then by the same logic, mobile phones - which can access the same "harmful" content - should also be deemed haram. Moreover, the fatwa comes at a time when internet freedom is already under significant pressure. With attempts at restricting digital spaces increasing, many see this decree as less about religious morality and more about tightening control over the flow of information. What is more troubling is the precedent this sets. If history is any guide, we should know far better than anyone that the blending of religious decrees with state control is a dangerous cocktail, which could pave the way for even stricter internet controls, pushing the country closer to a digital authoritarian state where surveillance is the norm, and freedom of speech is the casualty.

Let us not forget that we live in an era where digital access is synonymous with economic empowerment, innovation and social progress. Cracking down on VPNs will only alienate Pakistan's tech-savvy youth and isolate the country in an increasingly connected world. Instead of embracing progressive policies that support digital freedom, we are witnessing a regressive slide that could push the country further into digital isolation.