Petition Filed in Islamabad High Court Against VPN Ban Citing Fundamental Rights Violations
A citizen, Mubashir Qayyum, has approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the federal government’s decision to restrict Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) across the country, arguing that the move infringes upon the fundamental rights of citizens.
In the petition filed on November 19, Qayyum described himself as a direct victim of the VPN ban. The plea highlighted that VPNs have been essential for citizens to access platforms like X (formerly Twitter), which remains inaccessible due to a government-imposed ban justified as a measure to curb misinformation and maintain public order.
The petition referred to the Ministry of Interior’s (MoI) notification dated November 15, which directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to register all unauthorized VPNs.
The petitioner contended that the ban on VPNs disturbs the balance between ensuring security and safeguarding the basic rights of citizens.
The federal government, through the Ministry of Interior, and the PTA have been named respondents in the case. The petitioner urged that the notification be declared “null and void” on the grounds that it violated fundamental rights.
This development follows an earlier case in the Lahore High Court (LHC), where on November 19, Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal issued notices to the federal government and others. The notices were in response to a petition challenging VPN restrictions, social media bans, and slow internet speeds. The LHC directed the respondent to submit their replies.
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