ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, while observing that Pakistan is one of the leading countries in terms of viewing pornographic content, asked Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to take all necessary and available technical measures to block and restrict access to pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content at the earliest timeframe.
The ministry has written a letter to the PTA, saying that “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 the PTA to block such content in line with the Supreme Court’s 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.
It is important to note that although the PTA has made significant efforts to curb this issue by blocking the accessibility of such content; however, said material is still accessible online that violates our cultural and religious 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 the Supremes Court and the authority’s ability to effectively enforce content regulations.
Given the sensitivity of the issue, the PTA is once again requested to take all necessary and available technical measures to block and restrict access to pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content at the earliest timeframe. An early and prompt action is requested, the ministry’s letter noted.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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