ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court questioned the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) authority to impose a ban on the Chinese-owned video-sharing app, TikTok.
Reports in local media quoting sources said IHC Chief Justice Athar Minhallah slammed PTA saying, the telecommunication authority should also ban other digital platforms like search engine Google and YouTube.
The court also ordered to formulate a mechanism regarding the operations of Tiktok in Pakistan and consult the federal government, rather than a stern action to ban the app. What authority do you have to completely ban the app?” he asked the telecommunication regulator.
“The PTA should never have banned the app without consulting the federal government,” Justice Athar Minhallah added.”
The senior judge also directed the PTA counsel to provide a reason for banning the video-sharing platform. Meanwhile, the PTA lawyer responded by saying that the Peshawar and Sindh High Courts had issued orders to ban the app and formulate a mechanism to stop inappropriate content from circulating on the app.
CJ then asked the council to read out the orders of the high courts. No court ordered to completely ban the app, he said.
Referring to other social media platforms, Justice Minallah said “Such videos are circulated on YouTube as well. Will you shut down YouTube too?” Apps are a means of livelihood and entertainment for people,” the chief justice added.
PTA had ‘misused the orders’ from both courts and demanded to know if the actual orders, which pertained to developing a mechanism, had even be followed. “You were asked to develop a mechanism. Did you make one?” he added.
CJ while scolding the PTA officials said “You must change your mindset and be prepared for the future. You must not regress. You live in a digital world”.
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