Religious Affairs Ministry Urges PTA to Block Harmful Content Online

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been requested by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony to immediately implement all technical measures that are required to block and restrict access to pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content. Pakistan is among the top countries when it comes to viewing pornographic content.

According to a letter sent by the ministry to the PTA, “It has been learned 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.”

The PTA has taken proactive steps to block pornographic and blasphemous materials in response to decisions from the Supreme Court (in January 2016, May 2016, and March 2018), although it is still easily available on various websites.

It should be noted that despite the PTA’s best attempts to address this matter by removing access to such content, there is still internet content that goes against our cultural and religious beliefs.

Call for Swift PTA Action to Block Harmful Content and Protect Youth

The extensive availability of such content compromises efforts to shield the public, especially children from harmful content. There are valid concerns about the authority’s capacity to enforce content prohibitions and about their adherence to Supreme Court instructions.

Due to the issue sensitivity, the PTA is once again asked to take all technical steps possible to block and limit access to pornographic, blasphemous, and other harmful online content as soon as possible. According to the ministry’s letter, immediate and decisive action is required.

PTA has successfully blocked over 100,183 blasphemous URLs and 844,008 pornographic websites. Reports of such sites are submitted not only to the PTA but also by individuals and government organizations. The international gateway blocks approximately 20 million attempts daily to access pornographic websites from within the country. However, users can bypass these restrictions using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access explicit content. Despite this, the PTA remains committed to addressing the issue and is taking all necessary steps to prevent such content.