Popular social networking website Facebook will send a delegation to Pakistan for investigating content which the government considers to be blasphemous, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Interior said.

The government had approached Facebook earlier this week regarding access to the records of three controversial pages accused of spreading blasphemous content, the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Mazhar Kakakhail had said.

Read more: IHC wants blasphemous content on social media blocked

Facebook in its reply said it is aware of the government's reservations and that it wants to resolve the issue via bilateral dialogue and mutual understanding, the interior ministry spokesperson added.

The official further said that Facebook has also named a focal person to communicate with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The IHC is hearing a case pertaining to the dissemination of blasphemous content through social media.

The case, filed by Salman Shahid, argues that the presence of blasphemous content on social media websites is "hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims".

The petition also alleged that pages and videos defaming the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and revered personalities had not been blocked by the respondents nor had any steps been taken to remove the content.

Know more: Nisar threatens to block all social media websites with 'blasphemous content'

Three of the 'blasphemous' pages had already been blocked, whereas five to six other pages carrying blasphemous content had been marked, the FIA DG had told the court in a hearing on Monday.

Kakakhail had further said that an application will be launched under international law if the Facebook management failed to comply with the Pakistani government's request.

"We are at an early stage of inquiry in this regard," he added.

Opinion

Editorial

Short-changed?
Updated 24 Nov, 2024

Short-changed?

As nations continue to argue, the international community must recognise that climate finance is not merely about numbers.
Overblown ‘threat’
24 Nov, 2024

Overblown ‘threat’

ON the eve of the PTI’s ‘do or die’ protest in the federal capital, there seemed to be little evidence of the...
Exclusive politics
24 Nov, 2024

Exclusive politics

THERE has been a gradual erasure of the voices of most marginalised groups from Pakistan’s mainstream political...
Counterterrorism plan
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Counterterrorism plan

Lacunae in our counterterrorism efforts need to be plugged quickly.
Bullish stock market
23 Nov, 2024

Bullish stock market

NORMALLY, stock markets rise gradually. In recent months, however, Pakistan’s stock market has soared to one ...
Political misstep
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Political misstep

To drag a critical ally like Saudi Arabia into unfounded conspiracies is detrimental to Pakistan’s foreign policy.