‘If VPNs Are Un-Islamic, Cellphones Must Be Too,’ Says Maulana Tariq Jamil

Renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil has questioned the recent fatwa by Pakistan’s Islamic Ideological Council, which declared Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as un-Islamic (haram). Speaking to a private news channel, he argued that if VPNs are considered haram, mobile phones should also fall under the same category, as they provide access to similar content.

Maulana Tariq Jamil emphasized that such a decision reflects a narrow approach, pointing out that mobile phones pose more significant issues than VPNs. He also mentioned his lack of awareness regarding the specific council that issued the fatwa but expressed concern over its logic.

The fatwa was issued amid efforts by the Ministry of Interior and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to curb the use of unregistered VPNs. Authorities cited concerns over VPNs enabling users to bypass internet restrictions and access prohibited content.

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This development comes alongside Pakistan’s ongoing internet restrictions, including a prolonged ban on the social platform X (formerly Twitter). Critics, including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, have questioned the government’s policies, which have sparked widespread public and industry debate over censorship and access to technology in the country.