PTA said their directive was only a continuation of their earlier one banning chat rooms. PHOTO: FILE
A statement issued by the PTA said that the decision to ban chat services was not a new one and was in fact, a continuation of their earlier letter that was issued on Novemeber 14, 2012.
The order did not pertain to text and call bundle packages, the spokesperson explained.
The telecommunication authority said that the earlier decision was taken after listening to concerns about the "negative social effects of late night packages" from Supreme Court of Pakistan, Standing Committee of the Parliament, various Senators and members of national and provincial assembly.
It added that the letter was only issued because some chat services were still being offered by cellular mobile operators.
However, a telecommunication official said that they still thought the bundle packages would be discontinued, unless a new directive was issued clarifying that it wasn't so, ProPakistani reported.
The official also said that "chat rooms" are not packages and should have been termed appropriately in the PTA directive.
ProPakistani had earlier reported that PTA's directive had ordered all telecom companies to discontinue text and voice call packages to customers at any and all tunes of the day and submit a compliance report on September2.
COMMENTS (17)
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@Nabeela Mahmood: I have yet to watch a Turkish soap opera or visit a chat room on mobile. They are remarkably easy to avoid. These recreations do not interfere with my life or the lives of most people in rural areas and in the cities. I am mystified by my fellow Pakistanis burning desire to ban internet sites, books, movies even beliefs. Some of our kind even wish to meddle in others choices of food, drink, clothes, occupations, visible expression of piety, ad nauseam. Why?
I am a young professional and use Text and Call packages to interact with my subordinates and others are also using these benefits for the good of their business. No doubt that these packages distract our young generation form the morality and family.
In my opinion the right approach for this kind of act should be:
Late night Text and Call packages should be banned Text and Call chat services should be banned Mobile Friendship services should be banned
Most importantly PEMRA should come into the field and accept their responsibility and banned Dramas, Music Shows, Fashion Shows and such other activities on our National & Private TV Channels.
@Hassan in a democracy you do not have the right to impose your values on the majority. Yes, the majority should not tyrranize minorities who hold your views but you can always change the channel or not use chatrooms.
Stupid decision to destroy the only growing sector of economy.
@MJ
yeah drama advocating the right to have a GF in University.schools .....going on dates ...now the socalled Irani Tv shows showing ill-dressed women and cleavages and the discussing the kind of topics you wont surely discuss with your sisters ....is not immorality then you are totally screwed ....And again don't counter with the same Liberal talk ....
Do the idiots running PTA have a clue to the mechanics of decision making in a parliamentary Democracy? They just cannot go around shooting directives at whim. There are legalities and consultative protocols to follow which cannot simply be ignored. Those incompetents responsible for an illegal directive should be replaced.
Really like how ET took a two bit report from Aamir Ata who worked at Ufone and Mobilink and used it on their website.. and now are eating their own words... after spreading a lie, they report the clarification without apologizing.. U really have u dignity do you guys? Like morality to kareeb se nai guzri aap ke..
Don't they already have enough things to fix in this country that now they want to also become moral police..
When government begins to decide what is moral and what is immoral where does it stop?
A thing that is immoral for one person might be perfectly fine in another person's point of view.
This Govt. is a joke! no different then Dr. RM ...
@Mj: I disagree with you and agree with him completely.
@Usama Ahmed: Bas or to koi masla hi nae hai na? For God's sake stop trying to censor things (which you ultimately cannot) and focus on the issues that are plaguing the country.
what nonsense decision is taken by pta .
@muslim: "immorality is not spreading by free sms n call packages but by the current television serials which r on aired these days and by the fashion shows which r organised in Islamabad n Karachi which totally advocating nudity"
What kind of tv serials and fashion shows are you watching? Surely, no sane person would hold views similar to yours.
Use Whatsapp
The worst way to try to increase morality in society is for a government to adopt such ill thought out restrictions.
Those who want will think of a way around, as is happening here in the west where most mobile phone traffic is now in data form anyways..... then what will the government do!
PTA like everything in Pakistan can't distinguish whether they are coming or going.
immorality is not spreading by free sms n call packages but by the current television serials which r on aired these days and by the fashion shows which r organised in Islamabad n Karachi which totally advocating nudity....If federal government can't pay the circular debt that doesn't mean that they should dub these free packages which r quite a relief to the youth as spreading immorality.....mind it.....