Petition in IHC seeks block on blasphemous, pornographic websites
Petitioner claims IT ministry ordered PTA to block content last year.
Petitioner says inappropriate content is easily available, should be blocked by PTA.
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday sought a reply from Secretary Ministry of Information and Technology and Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in relation to a petition filed by Advocate Babar Awan seeking the blockage of websites containing blasphemous and pornographic content.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed the respondents to submit their replies in one week, after Awan informed the court that the information ministry had issued a notification on May 31, 2012 directing PTA to take required measures to block such websites.
Siddiqui said that seven months have passed but the PTA has failed to implement the orders.
The petitioner added that he filed an application before the authority but received no response.
He informed the court that the PTA is a regulatory authority with adequate powers however it has failed to block the content.
The petitioner contended that the PTA is bound to implement the directives calling for removal of inappropriate content and creation of a monitoring cell. He said the pornographic content was easily available and can be accessed through sites, search engines and host sites. Despite YouTube’s ban, the petitioner said such content can be viewed through host sites or software.
He said that the PTA has failed to purchase software that can easily monitor such content.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday sought a reply from Secretary Ministry of Information and Technology and Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in relation to a petition filed by Advocate Babar Awan seeking the blockage of websites containing blasphemous and pornographic content.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed the respondents to submit their replies in one week, after Awan informed the court that the information ministry had issued a notification on May 31, 2012 directing PTA to take required measures to block such websites.
Siddiqui said that seven months have passed but the PTA has failed to implement the orders.
The petitioner added that he filed an application before the authority but received no response.
He informed the court that the PTA is a regulatory authority with adequate powers however it has failed to block the content.
The petitioner contended that the PTA is bound to implement the directives calling for removal of inappropriate content and creation of a monitoring cell. He said the pornographic content was easily available and can be accessed through sites, search engines and host sites. Despite YouTube’s ban, the petitioner said such content can be viewed through host sites or software.
He said that the PTA has failed to purchase software that can easily monitor such content.