On Feb 1, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) took to their Twitter account accusing Wikipedia of disseminating blasphemous content.
What you need to know:
Degrading its services in Pakistan, PTA also threatened to block the global encyclopedia if it did not follow its instructions.
The telecoms authority stated that it asked Wikipedia to restrict or remove “sacrilegious” information by sending a notice in accordance with ‘relevant law.’ The statement continued, “An opportunity of hearing was also granted. However, the platform did not comply or appear before the Authority.”
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As a result, Wikipedia’s services were ‘degraded’ nationwide for 48 hours. The statement went on to say that Wikipedia will be blocked in Pakistan for a longer period of time if it did not delete offensive content.
“Wikipedia’s restoration will be given another look if reported illegal content is blocked,” PTA added as it ensured its dedication to provide Pakistanis with a secure internet experience.
Public opinion:
On the other hand, many Pakistanis are appalled by this development. Given the country is on verge of default, Twitterati wants to know if this should really be a top priority or not.
Student community is urging PTA to rethink their decision as this can be a major setback for them.
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