ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony on Tuesday requested Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block and restrict access to ‘pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content’.
“It has been learnt with serious concern that Pakistan is 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 PTA to block such content in line with Supreme Court orders (January 2016, May 2016 and March 2018), it has been observed that pornographic and blasphemous material is still readily accessible on multiple online platforms,” wrote the ministry to PTA.
The letter further stated that the PTA has made significant efforts to curb such content, but the material remains available online, continuing to violate the country’s religious and cultural values.
“The widespread availability of such content undermines efforts to protect citizens, particularly young people, from exposure to harmful material. It also raises serious concerns regarding the adherence to the directives of Supremes Court and the authority’s ability to effectively enforce content regulations,” the letter added.
The letter requested PTA for an early and prompt action in this regard.
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