Pakistan telecom authority threatens to ban Twitter

Pakistan authorities have warned the microblogging site Twitter for shutting it down, a media report stated.

The warning has been issued to the social networking site for not complying with its directive to block objectionable content.

The recent censorship on Twitter adds to the several previous incidents when social media was banned in Pakistan.

Pakistan had banned Facebook in the country twice in 2008 and in 2010.

In September 2012, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked access to YouTube throughout the country for over two years.

A Pakistan media report quoted the PTA on Wednesday as saying that while Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms complied with requests from the government to block objectionable content, Twitter did not oblige.

Director General of PTA's Internet Policy and Web Analysis, further told the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat that, "Out of a hundred requests from Pakistan to block certain offensive material, roughly five per cent are entertained. Twitter ignores all the remaining requests".

The committee was called for a meeting to discuss the penalties fixed by the PTA against "derogatory" comments related to Pakistan spreading through social media.

Informing the committee about Islamabad High Court's recent directive to the PTA to ask Twitter to respond to requests from Pakistan or face the risk of being blocked in the country, Ahmed said, "The PTA has conveyed the court's concern to Twitter, but has not got a response. The regulatory authority will implement court orders if Twitter does not respond to the final notice". 

"The court is determined to teach Twitter a lesson they will lose business," he added. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf information secretary Fawad Chaudhry has said that his party was against any kind of censorship on free media, the report said. 

"Those who do not wish to see objectionable and offensive content should not search for such content. Social media is not just for recreation and entertainment. There are jobs and households associated with the business. Blocking social media websites will have both social and economic impacts," Chaudhry, who is tipped to become information minister in the new government led by PTI chief Imran Khan, said.

(With inputs from PTI)