The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority authority investigates complaints from the public as well as from different stakeholders, in addition to conducting proactive searches.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked 21 unauthentic Quran apps and websites. Up until now, PTA has blocked 8 mobile apps and 13 unauthentic Quran websites.
All of them have been blocked by PTA either in response to complaints or by actively seeking them out. Under section 37 of the 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, the authority has the responsibility to recognise sacrilegious content, claims PTA.
The authority investigates complaints from the public as well as from different stakeholders, in addition to conducting proactive searches.
For the purpose of accurately reporting sacrilegious content, PTA has granted access to its dedicated E-Portal to 43 organisations that are pertinent. Following their discovery of the illegal content according to their areas of expertise, the stakeholder organisations notified PTA.
Through the PM portal and PTA’s Complaint Management system, the general public can also file complaints about illegal online content. If the PTA receives a complaint about the Quran being published with errors on any social media platform, the Authority is immediately mobilized, according to the PTA.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony is also in touch with the PTA (MoRA&IH). The MoRA&IH already has a Web Evaluation Cell in place for the assessment of online content that is offensive from a religious perspective.
Regularly, websites, links, etc. are evaluated and sent to PTA via an e-portal. As required by Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA), PTA always takes the recommended action, whether it be direct blocking using the system it has installed, approaching the relevant social media operators or websites for removal, or geo-fencing, depending on the situation.
The establishment, operation, and maintenance of telecommunication systems as well as the delivery of telecommunication services in Pakistan are all under the purview of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, which is the country’s regulatory body for telecommunications.