ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has developed a regulatory framework for over-the-top (OTT) services, including social media, digital streaming platforms and popular messaging apps, with the aim to exert greater control after eliciting feedback from stakeholders and finalizing it.
The PTA has posted a 14-page document containing all the provisions along with a list of questions for feedback.
The framework specifies three different kinds of OTT services, dealing with communication (such as Skype, WhatsApp and Facebook Messengers), application (like LinkedIn and X) and media (including YouTube, Netflix and Spotify).
It mentions the OTT authorization that these services will have to obtain from the PTA to maintain legal operations in the country.
“This OTT Authorization shall be valid for a period of fifteen (15) years,” it says. “The Licensed OTT Service Provider shall be required to enter into agreement with the TSPs [telecom service providers] licensees.”
It also mentions data localization, saying these services will not be able to store the personal data of local consumers beyond the country’s geographical territories without the PTA’s approval.
Additionally, it highlights the responsibility for the blocking of unlawful online content in accordance with “Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 and/or as determined by the Authority from time to time.”
The PTA has taken actions against platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Facebook in the past, citing reasons related to immoral, indecent and blasphemous content and even blocking these services.
This has also been criticized by free speech activists in the country that described such official decisions as a form of censorship and to stifle free expression and open access to information.
The final deadline for stakeholders to share their feedback with the telecom authority in July 10.
Pakistan telecom authority proposes framework to tighten control on social media, digital platforms
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Pakistan telecom authority proposes framework to tighten control on social media, digital platforms
- PTA wants the OTT services to seek a 15-year authorization to maintain legal operations in the country
- It also wants them not to store the personal data of local consumers beyond Pakistan’s territory
Cops injured, mobile phone services suspended in Islamabad as ex-PM Khan party moves ahead with protest plan
- Khan’s PTI has announced protests in Islamabad, Lahore and all other districts across Punjab province on Saturday
- Interior minister says nearly 80 policemen injured in firing incidents, 120 Afghans arrested in the last 48 hours
ISLAMABAD: Around 80 policemen have been injured as mobile phone services remained suspended and all roads leading to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad were blocked for a second consecutive day on Saturday amid a protest by former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ruling out any talks with the protesters.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has been holding protests across several Pakistani cities on Saturday against proposed constitutional amendments that it claims are aimed at curtailing the independence of the judiciary, a charge the government denies. The Pakistani opposition party is also trying to mobilize supporters through protests and large public gatherings to put pressure for the release of Khan, who has been in prison since August last year and faces a slew of legal challenges.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad on Saturday, Naqvi said the protesters had fired upon police personnel on their way to Islamabad from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and injured 80-85 police, reiterating that the motive behind the PTI’s protest was to sabotage a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government that is scheduled to take place in the Pakistani capital on October 15 and 16. He blamed KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for the violence.
“We will not allow the SCO conference to be sabotaged in any case. We have an idea what exactly is their motive and how they plan to do all this,” Naqvi told reporters. “CM KPK is responsible for all this situation, because he is marching on Islamabad together with this horde, CM KPK is leading it.”
The interior minister said at least 120 Afghan nationals, who were part of the protest, had been arrested in the last 48 hours.
“Police was fired upon in Pathar Garh, where we had set up a blockade and from where CM KPK has moved ahead now, and they were constantly tear-gassing the police,” he said, warning the opposition party of not to force the government “to go to extreme steps.”
The PTI initially announced a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk square on Friday, but caravans of its supporters led by Gandapur failed to reach the capital the same day due to blockades of all roads and highways leading to Islamabad. Clashes erupted in Islamabad and nearby areas on Friday evening as Khan supporters tried to march toward the venue of the protest but were stopped by the police.
“CM KP Ali Amin’s convoy is currently being attacked with heavy tear-gas shelling,” the PTI said on X on Saturday noon.
Mobile phone and metro bus services remained suspended and schools and markets were closed in the capital for a second consecutive day on Saturday. The federal government also deployed army troops in the capital on Saturday to ensure security of the SCO summit.
Residents complained of immense difficulties in navigating the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi as all roads were blocked off with shipping containers.
“You don’t want people to come into the city [Islamabad] and get to D-Chowk where the protest is but at least let people go outside the city,” taxi driver Arshad Shad, who was on foot, told Arab News. “Buses can’t move, there is no Internet, no mobile phone service. Families are stuck, they can’t come or go. So I don’t understand what the government is doing, they are only making life more difficult for the public.”
Zafar Iqbal, who deals in the sale and purchase of property, lamented frequent protests and their impact on businesses in the twin cities.
“Every fourth day there is a protest. This is very wrong. This shouldn’t happen. People’s businesses are getting affected and the public is being humiliated,” he told Arab News. “This is a curse for the public, for businessmen. There is already no business and people are worried.”
Protests in Punjab
The PTI also announced a protest in Lahore on Saturday, but Hammad Azhar, a key member of the party, announced on X that demonstrations would be held in all districts across Pakistan’s most populous province.
“Islamabad protest will continue,” he said on Saturday. “Apart from this, it is announced that protests will begin in all districts of Punjab from today. People from Lahore and its surroundings will join the protest in Lahore. There is a call for peaceful protests from today in all the rest of the districts of Punjab.”
Local news channels reported authorities had placed shipping containers on roads leading to the Minar-e-Pakistan monument in Lahore, where the PTI plans to hold the protest. The government has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows the district administration to outlaw gatherings of more than four people on account of security threats, in various cities.
Four key match-ups in Pakistan-England Test series
- The Stokes-Shah showdown lit up the Twenty20 World Cup final in Melbourne in November 2022, with the batter surviving Shah’s lethal spell
- But barely a month later the rivalry was renewed in Rawalpindi stadium as Shah bowled Stokes for 41 on the day when England piled record haul
MULTAN: Test encounters between Pakistan and England have often been defined by player-on-player showdowns which inject added drama into the already heated confrontation.
Ahead of their three-match series starting Monday in Multan, AFP Sports looks at four key match-ups set to entertain:
Pakistan’s pace spearhead was sidelined with a knee injury when England inflicted a 3-0 clean sweep in 2022. This time he has a chance to halt England’s juggernauts led by opener Duckett.
The left-hander smashed a brilliant century on the Test’s opening day two years ago as England amassed a first-day world record of 506-4 — blazing a trail for Pakistan’s first-ever home whitewash.
Duckett has proven capable of upsetting any bowler with his aggression straight out of the gate.
But Shaheen’s lethal yorkers and swing with a new ball regularly put brakes on the scoring rate and secure wickets up front.
Watch out as the pair tussle for control.
Two years ago, Ahmed was just 18 when he became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul on debut against Pakistan in Karachi.
Now matured, he is likely to face down Pakistan star batter Azam — one of his victims back in 2022.
Ahmed’s googly could prolong Azam’s run drought, with Pakistani looking to rediscover his touch to counter the wiley spinner.
Azam quit his white-ball captaincy this week to focus on his role at the crease.
His showdown with Ahmed will be the first test of whether he can return to form.
Root has a phenomenal record as England’s top batter — soon set to break former skipper Alistair Cook’s career record of more than 12,000 Test runs.
But in the 2022 tour, it was spinner Abrar who dismissed Root in each innings of the second Test in Multan for low scores of 8 and 21.
Nonetheless, Root holds the record for most hundreds for England with 34, achieving half of them over the past four years.
Pakistan will rely on Abrar for slow and turning wickets. A spin duel between the pair will be a clash to watch.
The Stokes-Shah showdown lit up the Twenty20 World Cup final in Melbourne in November 2022, with the batter surviving Shah’s lethal spell and hitting a fighting half-century to secure England’s triumph.
But barely a month later the rivalry was renewed in Rawalpindi stadium as Shah bowled Stokes for 41 on the day when England piled up its record haul.
Shah missed the next two Tests with a shoulder injury. But when the three-match series starts next week he will have more experience and better fitness — although the contest could be delayed as Stokes races to overcome a hamstring niggle in time for the first Test.
If he’s ready, Stokes will have to overcome a fiery Shah looking to push him to the hilt.
Senior army officer among six soldiers killed in gunfight with militants — Pakistani military
- The encounter also left six militants dead in the North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan
- Pakistan blames surge in militancy on groups operating from Afghanistan, Kabul denies the allegation
ISLAMABAD: Six Pakistani soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, and eight militants were killed in separate encounters in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Saturday.
A fire exchange took place between security forces and militants in Spinwam area of KP’s North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
Lt. Col. Muhammad Ali Shoukat, who the military said was leading the troops, was among the Pakistani soldiers killed in the encounter. Six militants were also killed in the gunfight.
“Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Kharji [militant] found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”
Separately, two militants were killed and another one was apprehended in a joint intelligence-based operation in KP’s Swat district, the military said on Saturday.
The operation was jointly conducted with law enforcement agencies in Charbagh area of the Swat district, according to the ISPR. The deceased militants included Atta Ullah alias Mehran who was involved in multiple militant activities, including a bomb attack in Swat on a convoy of foreign diplomats last month that killed one police officer.
Swat — a snow-capped mountain valley split by turquoise waters — is one of Pakistan’s most famed beauty spots, but its reputation has a dark side.
In 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban while campaigning as a schoolgirl for education in the same district that later earned her the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Pakistani Taliba historically have roots in Afghanistan and share the same ideology as the Afghan Taliban. From 2007 to 2009, they killed thousands of civilians and seized control of several areas of Swat Valley before being driven back by the military.
Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent months and says militants mainly associated with the Pakistani Taliban frequently launch attacks from hideouts in neighboring Afghanistan, targeting police and other security forces.
Islamabad has even blamed Kabul’s Afghan Taliban rulers for facilitating anti-Pakistan militants. Kabul denies the charges.
Royal Saudi Air Force joins Sindh Shield 2024 exercise in Pakistan
- The event, hosted at Mushaf Air Base, brings together air forces from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye in a comprehensive training scenario
- Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, commander of the RSAF, saw off departure of Saudi contingent from King Abdulaziz Air Base in Eastern Sector
RIYADH: The Royal Saudi Air Force has deployed to Pakistan for the multinational Shield of Sindh 2024 exercise.
The event, hosted at Mushaf Air Base, brings together air forces from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye in a comprehensive training scenario.
Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, commander of the RSAF, saw off the departure of the Saudi contingent from King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector.
Before takeoff, he conducted a thorough inspection of equipment and received detailed briefings on the operational readiness of flight crews, technical teams and support personnel. The Saudi contribution to the exercise is substantial, featuring a squadron of six Tornado aircraft.
Speaking about the exercise, he said: “Our participation in Shield of Sindh 2024 serves multiple objectives. It strengthens our bonds with Pakistan and other participating nations, while also providing a platform to demonstrate the exceptional capabilities and professionalism of the Royal Saudi Air Force, and allowing air and support crews to gain more combat experience in unconventional and electronic warfare environments.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Pakistan to face India in Dubai tomorrow
- Pakistan, who have never made it out of the group stages, beat Sri Lanka by 31 runs in opener
- On the other hand, India lost their opening group match to New Zealand on Friday by 58 runs
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan women’s team will face India on Sunday in their Twenty20 World Cup group stage match in Dubai, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Pakistan, who have never made it out of the group stages in eight previous attempts, beat Sri Lanka by 31 runs in their World Cup opener on Thursday.
The Pakistani side is scheduled to play its second group match against India at the Dubai Cricket Stadium.
“The match will start at 3:00 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time,” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported on Saturday.
Pakistan made 116 in their 20 overs in the opening match. They staged a determined fightback to beat Sri Lanka, with left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal claiming three wickets.
Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail and player of the match Fatima Sana all took two each for Pakistan against Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, India lost their opening match to New Zealand on Friday by 58 runs.
India were never in the chase after losing openers Shafali Verma, for two, and Smriti Mandhana, for 12, inside the first five overs.
