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Pakistan says ready to unblock TikTok if ‘vulgar’ content removed

A man wears a protective face mask with the TikTok logo as he walks along dental shops in Karachi, Pakistan July 14, 2020. (REUTERS)
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Updated 12 October 2020
KHURSHID AHMED 
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Pakistan says ready to unblock TikTok if ‘vulgar’ content removed

  • Pakistan’s telecommunications regulator banned TikTok over failing to remove ‘immoral’ content from its platform
  • Experts say the ban will have adverse economic impacts as it makes the environment unfriendly to investors, especially in the tech sector
Updated 12 October 2020
KHURSHID AHMED 

KARACHI: Chinese social media application TikTok, recently banned by Pakistan, will be unblocked if it removes “vulgar” content, the country’s information technology minister told Arab News on Saturday.

Pakistan’s telecommunications regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), said on Friday it had banned TikTok over failing to remove “immoral” content from its platform after being granted “considerable” time to comply with the authority’s instructions.
“For the time being, (TikTok) has been closed. If they give guarantee, then it will be allowed to reopen,” Syed Aminul Haque, the federal minister for information technology and telecommunication, told Arab News. 

“They were warned twice during last three months to remove the vulgarity related content. Every time they promised but did not comply,” he said, adding that the government is ready talk to TikTok.

“If they approach (us), we will sit with them and after removal of the content, it (the app) will be restored,” Haque said.

After warnings in August, in September PTA said it had approached TikTok to immediately block “objectionable content” available on its platform in Pakistan and prevent the use of its platform “for disseminating illegal content.”

PTA did not say at the time what actions it would take if TikTok did not comply with its orders.

The decision to block the social media platform has stirred a debate, with experts warning that the move will have adverse economic impacts. 
“Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok are the cheapest source of marketing outreach and fastest conversion sources. If the touch points of access to market are closed and we don’t understand their needs, then many small and micro business will be affected. Their marketing cost was low due to these marketing tools,” Badar Khushnood, member of the National E-Commerce Council (NeCC), told Arab News.
“It would be far better to make decision by multi-stakeholder engagement”, Khushnood said. “We need to understand how these new communication technologies operate. How to align our cultural, religious, and national agendas with them for this deep multi-stakeholder engagement is must.” 

The ban is also seen as detrimental to the government’s Digital Pakistan Policy to accelerate the country’s digitization for economic development.

“It shows a regulatory environment where apps can be blocked and that makes the environment unfriendly to investors, especially in the tech sector at a time where the IT sector is growing,” said Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, a civil society organization geared toward advocacy, policy, and research in the areas of digital rights in Pakistan. 
“Moreover, apps like TikTok are a source of income for thousands of content creators, with some having a following of more than 10 million. This shows the economic potential that such a ban averts to the detriment of so many creative Pakistanis,” he told Arab News.

One of Pakistan’s most popular TikTok celebrities, Hareem Shah, said the ban would affect those who make a living from the platform.
“If we look at TikTok, there were many poor who have taken to this platform as means of livelihood. Their means of livelihood has been taken away ... This should not happen,” she said. 

According to political analysts, blocking social media platforms makes Pakistan look like a county that is not too keen on allowing innovative disruptive technology companies to grow. 

In August, Pakistan blocked five dating apps, namely Tinder, Tagged, Skout, Grinder and SayHi. In July, PTA said it had banned the Singaporean live-streaming app Bigo over “immoral, obscene and vulgar content.” Bigo was subsequently unblocked. The hugely popular online game PUBG also remained banned in Pakistan through July. 

“Applying laws in such a broad manner does not send the right message to local and international investors and startups. It raises a cloud over Pakistan’s technology sector,” Uzair Younus, political economist and host of podcast Pakistonomy, told Arab News from Washington.

Pakistan dispatches 19th relief consignment to Syria amid conflicts in Middle East

Updated 17 November 2024
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Pakistan dispatches 19th relief consignment to Syria amid conflicts in Middle East

  • Pakistan says it will continue to support people affected by Israel’s military campaign in the region
  • Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Pakistan has called for a ceasefire at the UN, other forums
Updated 17 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) dispatched its 19th relief consignment on Sunday to help war-affected people in Syria and refugees from Lebanon, according to an official statement, reaffirming the country’s commitment to supporting those impacted by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The aid shipment, sent in collaboration with the Pakistani charity Al-Khidmat Foundation, consisted of 17 tons of humanitarian supplies, including buckets, powdered milk, tinned food, family packs, sleeping bags and medical kits.
The consignment departed via a chartered flight from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi to Damascus in Syria.
“This 19th consignment has been dispatched for the people of Syria and refugees from Lebanon,” the NDMA said in its statement. “Prior to this, the Government of Pakistan has sent 12 aid consignments to Palestine and six shipments to Lebanon, with a total volume of 1,722 tons.”
The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the people of Palestine and Lebanon who are in distress due to Israel’s military campaigns in the region.
It also emphasized the importance of collaboration by welfare organizations and the Pakistani public in strengthening the government’s efforts to assist those in need.
Pakistan has already established a special fund titled the “Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon,” inviting public donations.
Since the beginning of the war in October last year, Pakistan has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and has raised the issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other international forums, urging an end to Israeli military actions and a resolution to the humanitarian crisis.

Topics: Pakistan Syria Ties Pakistan Middle East ties National Disaster Management Authority Gaza aid

Women in Pakistan’s Karachi protest against honor killings, rising extremism

Updated 17 November 2024
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Women in Pakistan’s Karachi protest against honor killings, rising extremism

  • Participants of the rally say Karo-Kari is ‘rampant’ in Sindh, oppose marriages to settle disputes
  • Protesters also raise concern about proposed amendments to Pakistan’s water distribution system
Updated 17 November 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Hundreds of women marched in Karachi on Sunday to protest honor killings, rising extremism and social injustices, while voicing concerns over proposed changes to Pakistan’s water distribution mechanism earlier this year, which southern provinces argue are detrimental to their interests.
The rally, organized by Sindhiyani Tehreek, a women-led movement supported by civil society groups, drew demonstrators from across Sindh who marched from Regal Chowk to the Karachi Press Club.
Dr. Marvi Sindhu, the central general secretary of the movement, highlighted the threat of so-called honor killings, locally referred to as Karo-Kari. These killings target individuals accused of engaging in illicit relationships or marrying against their families’ wishes, often as a means to restore the perceived honor of the family.
“We are raising our voices against the rampant killing of women in the name of honor in Sindh,” she told Arab News. “We are also here to raise our voices against rising religious extremism.”
Sindhu said Karo-Kari was “alarmingly rampant” in northern Sindh, though she noted other socially conservative practices also undermined the interests and wellbeing of women.
“Women are married to settle disputes or murder cases [in the province], only to face harassment [from their in-laws] for the rest of their lives,” she continued, urging Pakistan’s senior judiciary to form a commission to address such issues.
Amar Sindhu, a professor and member of the Women’s Action Forum, echoed similar concerns, saying the rise in extremist ideologies was deepening social injustices and threatening women’s safety in Sindh.
“We stand united against these injustices and demand action to protect women from violence and oppression,” she said.
Sindhiyani Tehreek, founded in 1980, has been a prominent force in the province, advocating for women’s rights, social justice and the preservation of Sindhi culture. The movement also has a long history of resistance against authoritarian rule, gender-based violence and environmental degradation.
Apart from social and gender issues, the protest also highlighted proposed amendments to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act, 1992, introduced in July to restructure Pakistan’s water regulatory authority.
Key changes include appointing a permanent federal chairman to the authority, replacing the current rotational system where provincial representatives take turns leading IRSA.
The movement’s general secretary condemned the amendments as “unlawful,” warning they could exacerbate interprovincial disputes and deprive Sindh of its rightful share of water.
“Sindh deserves its share of water to sustain its crops, mangroves and marine life,” she said.

Topics: women in Pakistan honor killing honor killings religious extremism

One killed in northwestern Pakistan blast targeting religio-political party leader

Updated 17 November 2024
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One killed in northwestern Pakistan blast targeting religio-political party leader

  • Attack on Maulana Shehzad Wazir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam has left him critically injured
  • The JUI leader was on his way to a mosque in Azam Warsak when the explosion took place
Updated 17 November 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: One person was killed and six others injured in a blast triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting a senior leader of a prominent religio-political party in South Waziristan district on Sunday, leaving him in critical condition, police said.
The attack on Maulana Shehzad Wazir comes amid complaints from his Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) party about being targeted by militants operating in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also voiced concerns over militant threats disrupting the party’s election campaign in the region ahead of the February 8 national polls, citing warnings from law enforcement about dangers to its candidates.
“The IED was planted in a street leading to Maulana Shehzad Wazir’s mosque, who is politically affiliated with the JUI-F,” Bilal Wazir, a police officer in Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan tribal district, told Arab News over the phone. “Mufti Ijaz Wazir died on the spot while six others, including Maulana Shehzad Wazir, who was apparently the target of the attack, were left in critical condition.”
The officer said a police contingent was dispatched to the area soon after the explosion to gather evidence and shift the wounded to the hospital.
Asked about the intensity of the blast, he said it shook the entire neighborhood of Azam Warsak, a settlement on the outskirts of Wana.
Speaking to Arab News, Mufti Ijaz Shinwari, the JUI senior vice president in the tribal area, condemned the incident, saying the victims of the attack were religious leaders and key figures of his political party on the provincial level.
“This is inhumane,” he added. “This is clearly a terrorist attack and a cowardly act.”
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant group, has a history of targeting civilians, security forces and politicians in the region, aiming to perpetuate instability in KP.
In recent months, the TTP has claimed responsibility for several attacks and is suspected by officials in others.
Earlier this week, however, Daesh, a separate militant outfit, shot dead Hameed Sufi, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, in the adjacent Bajaur tribal district.
In June, four people, including Maulana Mirza Jan, the president of JUI’s Wana chapter, were shot by unidentified attackers.
Pakistan claims Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are providing shelter to TTP fighters across the porous border separating the two countries. However, the Afghan Taliban insists they do not allow anyone to use their soil to launch violent attacks in the neighborhood.
 

Topics: militancy in Pakistan IED blast pakistan bombing South Waziristan

Smog drops from hazardous to unhealthy in Pakistan’s Lahore

Updated 17 November 2024
AFP
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Smog drops from hazardous to unhealthy in Pakistan’s Lahore

  • The city’s AQI index reached a daily average of 243, still considered ‘very unhealthy’
  • Current pollution level is 10 times higher than what is deemed acceptable by WHO
Updated 17 November 2024
AFP

ISLAMABAD: The air quality in Pakistan’s smog-choked city of Lahore on Sunday fell below the threshold considered “hazardous” for humans for the first time in two weeks.
The AQI index reached a daily average of 243, still “very unhealthy” but below the highest level of 300 considered “hazardous.”
The level of PM2.5 particles was also more than 10 times higher than the level deemed acceptable by the World Health Organization.
The city of 14 million people close to the border with India peaked at a record AQI of 1,110 on November 14.
Punjab, home to more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people, closed schools in its major cities on November 6, and on Friday extended the closure to November 24.
It has also banned all outdoor sports in schools until January, and cracked down on polluting tuk-tuks, barbecues and construction sites in pollution hot spots across Lahore.
Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of the city also contributes to toxic air the WHO says can cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases.

Topics: smog Pakistan Smog Lahore Smog

Pakistan’s finance chief says PM Sharif will soon unveil ‘home-grown’ economic agenda

Updated 17 November 2024
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Pakistan’s finance chief says PM Sharif will soon unveil ‘home-grown’ economic agenda

  • Muhammad Aurangzeb calls the recent IMF visit part of ongoing talks, enhancing mutual trust
  • The visit came weeks after the $7 billion loan approval, making observers think it was unusual
Updated 17 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon unveil a “home-grown agenda” for economic development, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday, as he informed that his interaction with a visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation last week went well, providing both sides an opportunity to enhance mutual trust.
The IMF delegation, led by Pakistan mission chief Nathan Porter, completed a five-day trip to the country during which it held wide-ranging conversations with the government.
The international lending organization approved a $7 billion loan for Pakistan in September, though it explicitly stated that the delegation’s visit was not part of the first review of the loan program, which is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
The IMF visit, which came just weeks after the loan’s approval, surprised observers who considered it unusual, though the finance minister described it as part of an ongoing dialogue between the two sides, noting that it resulted in a positive IMF statement.
Aurangzeb also said the government would specify its overall economic game plan in the next few days.
“The prime minister will soon share a home-grown agenda about how we are going to take forward our overall economic roadmap,” he said, without disclosing its details. “It has been very well syndicated with all the stakeholders.”
The minister emphasized that dealings between Pakistan and the IMF were completely transparent, with all agreed details available in the public domain. He noted the recent discussions with the IMF covered taxation and energy reforms, along with the privatization plan for state-owned enterprises and public finances.
“I welcomed this visit because this is an ongoing dialogue to ensure mutual credibility and trust,” he added. “We have shared our roadmap with them and explained how we are taking things forward.”
The finance minister said the two sides would continue to hold virtual talks, though he noted that he appreciated every opportunity to meet IMF officials face-to-face.
He also mentioned that discussions with the international lender included climate resilience and decarbonization, emphasizing that these issues had to be addressed alongside broader economic challenges rather than sequentially.
Pakistan has faced a prolonged economic crisis marked by rapid currency devaluation and dwindling foreign exchange reserves, which forced it to seek external financial assistance from friendly nations and global financial institutions.
The country has seen an improvement in its macroeconomic indicators in recent months, though it has yet to fully recover from its financial difficulties.
Reflecting on his visit to Washington for the World Bank and IMF meetings earlier this year, Aurangzeb described the discussions as productive.
“They gave us a platform to share with the comity of nations about how we turned the economy around in 14 months,” he said. “We also got an important message, which is that there is no room for complacency and we must stay the course [of stringent economic reforms].”
 

Topics: IMF in Pakistan Pakistan economy Shehbaz Sharif Muhammad Aurangzeb Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb

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