PHC orders to remove blasphemous content from TikTok

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ensure the removal of any blasphemous and objectionable material from the social media short-video sharing platform TikTok.

A two-member PHC bench comprising Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Shakeel Ahmad addressed a petition requesting TikTok’s ban. The court instructed the PTA to address the concerns raised in the petition.

Petitioner Imran Khan, represented by Barrister Babar Shehzad, urged the court to direct the PTA, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Ministry of Information to prohibit TikTok nationwide due to the dissemination of sacrilegious and inappropriate content.

He emphasized that such applications, allowing the sharing of immoral content, were detrimental to social cohesion. Noting TikTok’s extensive user base in Pakistan, Barrister Babar highlighted its misuse of content contrary to Islamic teachings and constitutional principles.

He recalled that PHC had previously ordered TikTok’s ban in 2021.

Justice Shakeel Ahmad underscored the importance of preventing the dissemination of objectionable content and affirmed the court’s stance against blasphemous material being propagated through TikTok. Representing PTA, Jahanzeb Mahmud assured the court that telecom operators promptly remove blasphemous posts.

However, Justice SM Attique Shah questioned the efficacy of these measures and inquired about the absence of content-filtering mechanisms in Pakistan. He suggested exploring the feasibility of implementing a firewall to automatically block objectionable videos.

The court ordered PTA to take down any offensive content from TikTok right now and to report back in seven days. On July 24, the case will be examined once more.