ISLAMABAD: The Mi­­nistry of Reli­gious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has asked the telecom regulator to block blasphemous content on social media.

In a letter to the Pakistan Tele­com­munication Auth­ority (PTA), the ministry said pornographic and blasphemous content was still accessible online.

The ministry has learn­­ed that Pakistan was amo­ng the countries with the highest viewership of adult content, the letter said, calling the trend “alarming”.

“It also raises serious concerns regarding the adherence to the directives of the Supreme Court and [PTA] ability to effectively enforce content regulations,” the letter added.

The ministry said the effects of PTA’s proactive measures to block adult and blasphemous content in line with Supreme Court orders were not visible.

The letter said the PTA has made “significant efforts” to block adult and blasphemous content, but “the said material is still accessible online”, which “violates our cultural and religious values”.

The ministry maintained that the widespread availability of such content undermines efforts to protect citizens, particularly young people, from exposure to harmful material.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...
Tax amendments
Updated 20 Dec, 2024

Tax amendments

Bureaucracy gimmicks have not produced results, will not do so in the future.
Cricket breakthrough
20 Dec, 2024

Cricket breakthrough

IT had been made clear to Pakistan that a Champions Trophy without India was not even a distant possibility, even if...
Troubled waters
20 Dec, 2024

Troubled waters

LURCHING from one crisis to the next, the Pakistani state has been consistent in failing its vulnerable citizens....