CII chief rescinds VPN edict as 'clerical error'

Rejects issuing decree 'under pressure from establishment'

ISLAMABAD:

Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi clarified on Wednesday that a "clerical error" in the council's previous statement had caused confusion, leading to the belief that the use of encrypted networks, especially VPNs, was against Shariah.

"No one has declared VPNs against Shariah or un-Islamic," Naeemi said during a press conference.

"A typing error in our previous statement created a misunderstanding after the word 'not' was omitted from it," he added.

He said that the council held a session to deliberate on the use of social media in the country in light of Islamic principles.

In response to a question about whether the decree had been issued hastily under pressure from the establishment, Naeemi rejected the claim, stating, "My Friday sermon is issued on the council letterhead. It is a typo mistake".

He reiterated that the initial proclamation, which caused a public uproar, was due to a typographical error and clarified that the statement reflected his personal opinion, which was "based on the council's past decisions".

He further explained, "We think there is a typo mistake in which the word 'not' was left out, and because of this, the issue was further exacerbated."

In a follow-up statement read from a press release issued after the council's meeting, Naeemi elaborated on the use of VPNs, saying that while VPN apps serve various legitimate purposes, the correct or incorrect use of such tools is governed by Islamic principles.

"It is a common observation that VPN apps are used to achieve various purposes while using the internet. No VPN, software or any app is illegal or un-Islamic in itself, but rather their correct and incorrect use is governed by Islamic rulings," he said.

He added that if VPNs were used for activities such as communicating, education, or commercial purposes, they are permissible under Shariah, and individuals should adhere to government regulations, especially as the government has begun registering VPNs.

"Therefore, the use of registered VPNs should be preferred, and the use of unregistered VPNs should be avoided as much as possible," he advised.

Naeemi also pointed out the importance of social media and modern technology, saying that while the misuse of these tools must be prevented, simply banning them was not the solution.

"The council believes that simply banning modern means is not the solution to the problems, but at the same time, it is also necessary to take steps to enable the positive use of these means or to present a suitable alternative to them," he added.