Plea seeks ban on TikTok over causing ‘bad influence’
A writ petition has been lodged in the Lahore High Court calling for a ban on the TikTok application, citing concerns about its detrimental effects on the youth of society.
The petitioner, Usman Anwar, has named multiple respondents, including the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federation of Pakistan, the Government of Punjab, and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication of Pakistan.
In his plea, Usman Anwar argued that citizens have an unwavering duty of loyalty to the state and nation, as enshrined in Article 5 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
He noted that over the past several months, especially in the last five to six months, young individuals irrespective of gender have been sharing various content on TikTok, including informative, cultural, scientific, and religious aspects. However, he highlighted the presence of videos, short films, and reels containing nudity, obscenity, and sexual content that contradicts the moral and cultural values of the Muslim society.
Anwar implored that Pakistan's creation came at the cost of immense sacrifices, with countless lives lost to secure independence.
He underscored the significance of the nation's history and the struggles endured by previous generations to establish Pakistan. Anwar emphasized that enemies of the nation have consistently attempted to undermine its existence and tarnish its image.
He mentioned that TikTok has been banned in several countries due to its negative effects, and he raised concerns about the application's impact on teenagers in Pakistan, where brains are not fully developed until age 25.
He expressed alarm over the promotion of explicit, sexual, and inappropriate content on TikTok, particularly among youngsters living in Western countries.
Anwar pointed out that such content not only violates Islamic principles but also contradicts established norms of morality.
Anwar further highlighted the physical dangers associated with the application, citing instances of children losing their lives while attempting risky stunts for creating content.
He stressed that the state and its institutions must prioritize national interests over personal affiliations and interests, taking stringent legal actions against those responsible for spreading harmful content.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2023.