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What does it mean to fight the circumvention method – religious prohibition and state control?
The Supreme Council of Islamic Scholars of Pakistan has recognized the use of VPNs as inconsistent with Sharia law. Also, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country made a proposal to ban VPN.
The head of the Council of Islamic Ideology, Raghib Naemi, said that Sharia allows a ban on actions that lead to the "spread of evil." Platforms that disseminate content that is controversial, offends religious feelings or undermines national integrity should be blocked immediately, Naemi said.
Since February 2023, millions of users in Pakistan have been deprived of access to the social network X, which was blocked by the authorities on the eve of the parliamentary elections. The only way to bypass the restrictions is to use a VPN, which hides users' online activity. However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs intends to ban VPNs, explaining this by the need to fight extremism. Critics believe that such measures restrict freedom of expression.
In most countries, the use of VPNs is legal, but in countries with strict internet control, such services are prohibited or restricted. In Pakistan, VPN users have many supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Supporters are calling for a march on Islamabad to pressure authorities to release Khan. Pakistani authorities often cut off communications during rallies of Khan's supporters. However, Naemi's claim that VPNs are against Sharia law has caused widespread resonance.
Naemi's remarks came after the Home Office sent a letter to the Ministry of Information Technology asking it to ban VPNs. The letter alleges that terrorists are increasingly using virtual private networks to promote their ideas and coordinate criminal activities. The ministry also seeks to restrict access to pornographic and blasphemous material.
Recently, internet users were asked to register a VPN with the Pakistan Media Regulator, which could increase control over user activity.
It is worth noting that recently the Pakistani company P@SHA accused the Pakistani government of "hastily" implementing a Chinese-style Internet firewall. Industry representatives argue that such measures were taken without proper transparency and could seriously harm the country's IT sector, becoming a victim of "erroneous priorities."
Pakistan's experience of censorship makes such accusations well-founded. On election day, the country's government completely blocked access to the Internet. Such actions were not an isolated case: Pakistan has also previously restricted access to Wikipedia, TikTok and Twitter*, often on religious grounds.
A similar situation is happening in Iran. According to the country's state media, up to 80% of Iranian tech companies are considering emigrating due to constant restrictions on internet access.
The Pakistani government's internet actions draw parallels with the Great Firewall of China, which restricts access to foreign sites, blocks the use of VPNs and proxies, and uses techniques such as DNS spoofing and keyword-based URL filtering. At the same time, in China, despite strict measures, access to domestic online resources remains stable and fast.
Source
The Supreme Council of Islamic Scholars of Pakistan has recognized the use of VPNs as inconsistent with Sharia law. Also, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country made a proposal to ban VPN.
The head of the Council of Islamic Ideology, Raghib Naemi, said that Sharia allows a ban on actions that lead to the "spread of evil." Platforms that disseminate content that is controversial, offends religious feelings or undermines national integrity should be blocked immediately, Naemi said.
Since February 2023, millions of users in Pakistan have been deprived of access to the social network X, which was blocked by the authorities on the eve of the parliamentary elections. The only way to bypass the restrictions is to use a VPN, which hides users' online activity. However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs intends to ban VPNs, explaining this by the need to fight extremism. Critics believe that such measures restrict freedom of expression.
In most countries, the use of VPNs is legal, but in countries with strict internet control, such services are prohibited or restricted. In Pakistan, VPN users have many supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Supporters are calling for a march on Islamabad to pressure authorities to release Khan. Pakistani authorities often cut off communications during rallies of Khan's supporters. However, Naemi's claim that VPNs are against Sharia law has caused widespread resonance.
Naemi's remarks came after the Home Office sent a letter to the Ministry of Information Technology asking it to ban VPNs. The letter alleges that terrorists are increasingly using virtual private networks to promote their ideas and coordinate criminal activities. The ministry also seeks to restrict access to pornographic and blasphemous material.
Recently, internet users were asked to register a VPN with the Pakistan Media Regulator, which could increase control over user activity.
It is worth noting that recently the Pakistani company P@SHA accused the Pakistani government of "hastily" implementing a Chinese-style Internet firewall. Industry representatives argue that such measures were taken without proper transparency and could seriously harm the country's IT sector, becoming a victim of "erroneous priorities."
Pakistan's experience of censorship makes such accusations well-founded. On election day, the country's government completely blocked access to the Internet. Such actions were not an isolated case: Pakistan has also previously restricted access to Wikipedia, TikTok and Twitter*, often on religious grounds.
A similar situation is happening in Iran. According to the country's state media, up to 80% of Iranian tech companies are considering emigrating due to constant restrictions on internet access.
The Pakistani government's internet actions draw parallels with the Great Firewall of China, which restricts access to foreign sites, blocks the use of VPNs and proxies, and uses techniques such as DNS spoofing and keyword-based URL filtering. At the same time, in China, despite strict measures, access to domestic online resources remains stable and fast.
Source
