The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been urged to block and restrict public access to pornographic, blasphemous and other harmful online content.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs, in an official communique to the top telecom regulator, showed concerns that Pakistan is becoming “one of the leading countries in terms of viewing pornographic content, which is highly alarming, especially in light of its negative impact on public morality and the well-being of our society”.
“Despite the proactive measures taken by the PTA to block such content in line with the Supreme Court orders issued in January 2016, May 2016, and March 2018, it has been observed that pornographic and blasphemous material is still readily accessible on multiple online platforms.”
The ministry acknowledged the PTA’s efforts to curb this issue by blocking the accessibility of such content, but noted with concerns that such material “is still online accessible that violates our cultural and religious values”.
The letter further states that the widespread availability of such content undermines efforts to protect citizens, particularly young people, from exposure to harmful material.
It also raises concerns regarding the adherence to the directives of the top court and the authority’s ability to enforce content regulations effectively.