Tag: ban

  • Punjab bans recordings of films, dramas at mosques, shrines

    The Punjab Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department has banned the shooting of films and dramas in mosques and shrines after the recent controversy surrounding Bilal Saeed and Saba Qamar’s latest song Qubool which was shot at Lahore’s historical Masjid Wazir Khan.

    According to details, a notification dated August 13, 2020, states that if any act is recorded in a mosque or a shrine, the relevant manager and zonal administrator would be responsible.

    The approval to shoot a documentary in these sites will be subject to consultation with the department of religious affairs, it adds.

    The Auqaf department’s notification specified that no shooting featuring a woman in a shrine or mosque will be allowed.

    Approximately 544 shrines and 437 mosques fall under the management of the department, which has been listed in its notification issued last week.

    Read More – Fahad Mustafa, Iqrar ul Hassan extend support to Saba, Bilal after music video backlash

    The decision came after public outcry against the shoot of a music video featuring Bilal Saeed and Saba Qamar at Wazir Khan mosque in Lahore. Though the two artists publicly apologised for hurting public sentiment and removed the sequence from their music video, they received a lot of backlash and cases were also registered over the scene picturized at the mosque.

  • PM talks about rumours that govt wants to ban social media

    PM talks about rumours that govt wants to ban social media

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who is known for having social media as his primary source of information, has said the government will not impose a ban on any social media application.

    “But at the same time, we also can’t let anyone insult or spread false information about government organisations or the people working for them,” the premier pointed out in a statement.

    PM Imran also took notice of the delay in the preparation of social media regulations by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and Ministry of Information Technology.

    He instructed the departments to present a report regarding it within this week.

    The PTI government has been criticised for its decisions regarding monitoring and regulating content on social media. This came after the government placed a temporary ban on popular online game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and issued a warning to TikTok.

    The premier had in February also said that new rules were being introduced only to protect citizens and regulate social media in the country, which had come days after the PTI government led by him decided to impose restrictions in the name of citizens’ protection and national interest.

    Presiding over a meeting to review the social media rules, PM Imran had said that the new rules were not prepared to curb freedom of expression or victimise political opponents. He had claimed that the United Kingdom (UK), Singapore and other countries were also introducing such laws to protect their citizens.

    However, no action for the implementation of the proposed rules had followed.

  • Banning books

    Banning books

    German poet Heinrich Heine once warned, “Where they burn books, they will in the end also burn people.”

    In Pakistan’s case, we may not be burning books, but we are banning them. From banning online apps to games, from media censorship to censoring books, Pakistan is on a downward spiral. According to Geo, the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) banned a hundred school books in a single day for containing content deemed “anti-national” and “blasphemous”.

    “We are currently examining over 10,000 books being taught in private schools,” said PCTB Managing Director Rai Manzoor Hussain Nasir. “So the banned textbooks could be in thousands once we are done.”

    Rai is taking these steps under the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Act, 2015, which was passed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. It seems that both the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the PML-N do not value critical thinking and fundamental freedom.

    This policy is a complete disaster. We saw what happened under the Zia regime back in the 1980s when our curriculum was infused with extremist ideology. It changed our society and led to intolerance. Now we are seeing a repetition of something along the same lines. Rai Manzoor has a problem with a book of mathematics where counting concepts were explained to the young students showing pictures of pigs. He also has a problem with Gandhi’s quotes being taught in another book. Gandhi was India’s founding father but he fought for the rights of Muslims in India and was consequently killed by an RSS extremist for propagating peaceful co-existence with the Muslim minority. Are we demonising someone just because we want to see him from the prism of animosity towards India?

    If we want to keep our children isolated in a globalised world by teaching them only about ourselves, and not any non-Pakistanis, the solution was not to ban books with Gandhi’s quotes but probably to add more quotes from Pakistani historical figures. Do we not want to teach our children about the struggles of Nelson Mandela, who is quite often quoted by Prime Minister Imran Khan? Banning books or taking out quotes of non-Pakistanis is ridiculous at best and dangerous in the long term. The path we are taking today will impact our coming generations.

    The power of deciding curriculum and books is a grave power. For it to be in the hands of someone who is no Chomsky or any other learned figure, we must raise our voice at this grave injustice that is being inflicted upon our future generations. Our national interests are not so weak that they will be endangered by some quotes from non-Pakistanis. But it seems that we want to ban critical thinking. We want to ban the foundation of learning, i.e. asking questions and being inquisitive. We want to produce robots instead of intelligent human beings. We must resist this type of indoctrination. Closed minds cannot lead this country to progress. Stifling freedom of expression and censoring books will push Pakistan back by decades. Let us not go down this dark path. 

  • Official, who banned books in Punjab over ‘blasphemous and anti-Pakistan’ content, is a ‘pervert and misogynist’

    Official, who banned books in Punjab over ‘blasphemous and anti-Pakistan’ content, is a ‘pervert and misogynist’

    Punjab Curriculum & Textbook Board (PCTB) Managing Director (MD) Rai Manzoor Hussain Nasir, who had on Thursday banned 100 books being taught in private schools for carrying “blasphemous and anti-Pakistan” content, has come under fire for being what Twitterati call is a “pervert and misogynist”.

    BOOKS BAN:

    Addressing a press conference, Nasir said that the PCTB had started critical review of 10,000 books being taught by private schools across the province and in the first phase had banned 100 books of 31 publishers including Oxford and Cambridge for blasphemous, immoral and anti-Pakistan content.

    The PCTB MD said that the board had formed 30 committees for this purpose. He said it was sad that nobody checked these books earlier and had no idea what was being taught to our kids in private schools against hefty fees. He said the banned books had distorted facts about Pakistan and its creation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal while these books also carried blasphemous content. He said Pakistan was portrayed as an inferior country to India while Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) was also shown as part of India in maps in some of these books.

    Rai Manzoor Nasir said that instead of including sayings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal, etc. one of the books carried sayings of Mahatma Gandhi and some unknown people. He said in a book of Mathematics counting concepts were made explained to the young students showing pictures of pigs. He said one of the books by Cambridge tried to promote crime and violence among the students on the basis of unemployment in the country.

    The PCTB MD said that these 100 books had been immediately banned and the publishers had been directed to immediately stop publishing and selling the books. He said District Education Authorities (DEAs) across Punjab will visit private schools (after reopening of schools) to check if these books were still being taught. He said FIRs would be registered against the publishers for violation under the provisions of the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board Act 2015.

    ‘PERVERT AND MISOGYNIST’:

    Already under fire for what was criticised as a move to “crackdown on the future of children by banning books”, things took an uglier turn for the PCTB MD as Twitterati called him out over “hypocrisy” and being a “pervert and misogynist”.

    Besides calling him out for liking porn videos on Twitter, netizens also highlighted that Nasir was involved in moral policing over the social networking site.

    He was also criticised for being a racist and tweeting against Afghan refugees.

    Have something to add to the story? Let The Current know in the comments below.

  • People want Waqar Zaka to be PM after court orders to lift PUBG ban

    People want Waqar Zaka to be PM after court orders to lift PUBG ban

    With the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordering Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to immediately lift the ban imposed on popular online multiplayer game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Pakistanis are taking to social media to praise VJ-turned-television host Waqar Zaka’s efforts in this regard and seek his election as the country’s prime minister (PM).

    Pakistan’s ban on PUBG had been challenged in the Sindh High Court (SHC) by Zaka who had taken to social media to express his outrage as well as “expose” some shady conspiracy theories behind the ban.

    According to the YouTuber, the ban on PUBG, which the authorities said had come after PTA received “numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of children”, was “actually to prevent Pakistani youth from excelling in e-sports”.

    “These are the same people who don’t want our children to become famous around the world, who don’t want our country to generate revenue online, who want to send out a message to the e-sports providers around the world to prevent them from setting up their business here – reason why YouTube never did. These people will not allow us to evolve, a digital revolution needs to be brought,” Zaka had said in a video message.

    With the popular television personality continuing to raise his voice against the ban and separately the IHC on Friday finally ordering PTA to lift it, here’s what people have to say as ‘#ThankYouWaqarZaka’ trends on Twitter in Pakistan.

    https://twitter.com/Qasim6tweets/status/1286562678362779648

    On June 23, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Zulfiqar Hameed had recommended a ban on the online game.

    The CCPO had taken up the matter with the higher authorities through a letter referring to the death by suicide of a teenage boy, who was an ardent player of the game. It had led to a temporary ban on the game, which was followed by a PTA statement on Thursday, according to which the ban was to stay in place.

  • Islamabad High Court orders govt to lift ban on PUBG

    Islamabad High Court orders govt to lift ban on PUBG

    The Islamabad High Court on Friday ordered the government to lift the ban on the popular online multiplayer game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Geo reported.

    The decision to lift the ban was announced by Justice Amir Farooq while hearing a petition filed against the banning of the game. 

    The decision comes a day after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had announced that PUBG will remain blocked in Pakistan. 

    In a statement released on Twitter, the telecom watchdog and internet regulator said it reached the decision to keep the game banned after a detailed hearing conducted at the PTA premises on July 9 on the directions of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    It said the hearing was attended by other interested parties also.

    The PTA said it also approached the PUBG management to share data about PUBG sessions and users in Pakistan and controls in place by the company. The response from PUBG is awaited, it said.

    On July 1, the PTA announced the decision to temporarily suspend the PUBG game in the country after it received multiple complaints from different segments of society.

    The authority said it received numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time, and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the Children.

    According to recent media reports, cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game have also been reported.

    The LHC also directed the PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants.

    The authority had also solicited views of the public to reach any decision about the online game.

  • After PTA’s ban on PUBG and Bigo, Supreme Court hints at blocking YouTube in Pakistan

    Amid Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) ban on popular online multiplayer game PUBG and social networking application Bigo besides a “final warning” to TikTok, the Supreme Court (SC) has reportedly hinted at banning YouTube in Pakistan.

    According to The Express Tribune, the apex court, while hearing the case of one Shaukat Ali involved in a sectarian crime, objected to unregulated content on social media, particularly comments regarding the judiciary, the armed forces and the government.

    We have no objection to freedom of expression, remarked Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin. “Our salaries are paid from the money of the people, they have the right to raise questions on our decisions and our performance,” he said. “But the Constitution also grants us the right to privacy,” added Justice Amin.

    He remarked that family members of the judiciary come under scrutiny on YouTube and referred to a decision announced a day earlier, which was discussed on the platform and asked whether the PTA and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had taken notice of such happenings on the platform where judges were mocked and embarrassed.

    A PTA official told the court that the PTA cannot remove objectionable content but can only report it.

    READ: Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    YouTube is banned in many countries, said Justice Mushir Alam, who was also on the bench. He asked whether anyone would dare post content against the United States (US) or the European Union (EU) on the platform.

    Justice Amin asked how many people had been prosecuted for such crimes while Justice Alam noted that social media was regulated through local laws in many countries.

    People are incited against the judiciary, the government and the armed forces, remarked Justice Amin.

    The court then issued notices to the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) and the Foreign Ministry on the matter.

    Pakistan’s digital space has been frequently restricted and is monitored closely through laws such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 as well by the federal agencies PTA and FIA.

  • Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a final warning to popular Chinese social networking app TikTok over obscene and immoral content as it banned live streaming application Bigo over similar concerns raised by the general public.

    TikTok allows users to make video clips, lip sync to songs and create short videos, and has time and again been criticised over the quality of content amid unparallel popularity among Pakistanis.

    Last week, a civil miscellaneous application was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) demanding an immediate ban on TikTok, Dawn reported.

    The petitioner said the app was a “great mischief of modern times” and had become a source of spreading pornography for the sake of fame and ratings on social media.

    According to a statement released by the PTA late on Monday night, complaints were received from different segments of society against immoral, obscene and vulgar content on social media applications particularly TikTok and Bigo.

    “PTA had issued necessary notices to the aforementioned social media companies under law to moderate the socialisation and content within legal and moral limits, in accordance with the laws of the country,” the statement said.

    The PTA said the response of these companies was “not satisfactory”.

    “Therefore, in exercise of its powers under PECA, the PTA has decided to immediately block Bigo and issue a final warning to TikTok to put in place a comprehensive mechanism to control obscenity, vulgarity and immorality through its social media application,” the statement said.

  • UK to Pakistan fares increase by threefold after PIA ban

    UK to Pakistan fares increase by threefold after PIA ban

    Ticket prices for flights to Pakistan from the United Kingdom have increased three times after Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was banned from entering three destinations in the UK. PIA is also facing a six months ban from the European Union and a suspension on all types of flights from the United States.

    The cost of a return flight from London, Manchester, and Birmingham to Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi was previously £500-650 (Rs 105053-136568), but after PIA was barred from operating by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, ticket prices have tripled and are now £1,500-2,700 (Rs 315,158-567,284), according to a report in Geo News.

     According to Skyscanner, a major travel website, the cheapest return ticket from London to Lahore is being offered by Turkish Airlines which costs a whopping £1,445 (almost Rs300,000). British Airways, which just started operating in Pakistan, is offering the same flight for over £2,000 that would cost the passenger over Rs400,000.

    The return tickets from the UK to Pakistan offered by Qatar Airways and Emirates cost over £2,500 (Rs 525,262) which is a record price for a return ticket. Another flight by Qatar Airways and British Airways costs £2,796 (587,453).

    This price hike came after Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan claimed that around one-third of Pakistani pilots had allegedly fake licenses. The news created panic across the world, leading to a ban on PIA by certain states and countries.

  • PTA temporarily bans PUBG

    PTA temporarily bans PUBG

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has temporarily banned the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), an online battle game, for being harmful to players’ health.

    The move came after three children committed suicide in Lahore recently due to the online game.

    The authority, in a statement, said that it received “many complaints against PUBG wherein it is stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the children”.

    It added that the decision came on the back of complaints received from different segments of society as well as media reports claiming “cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game”.

    “Honorable Lahore High court has also directed PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants. In this regard, a hearing is being conducted on the 9th of July 2020,” it added.

    PTA has also urged people to share their opinion and give their feedback on the issue at consultation-pubg@pta.gov.pk by July 10, 2020.