ISLAMABAD – In a massive crackdown, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority PTA blocked thousands of social media accounts over anti-state content.
The telecom regulator taken major action against digital platforms spreading anti-state and anti-defense narratives. In recent update, PTA said a total of 3,248 YouTube channels have been restricted after being found involved in campaigns targeting Pakistan’s defense institutions and other state entities.
The crackdown on YT channel comes as part of monitoring initiative by state institutions, which identified these channels as promoting dissent and misleading content to national security.
As per PTA sources, more than 100K URLs sharing content against Pakistan’s defense and sovereignty have also been blocked. In addition to domestic action, 68 Indian YouTube channels have been banned from broadcasting in Pakistan for disseminating hostile narratives.
PTA also confirmed immediate blocking of 13 Indian news channels and 20 Indian news websites. Furthermore, two Pakistani journalists’ YouTube channels were taken down for allegedly violating national security standards.
The ongoing efforts to regulate digital content extended across multiple platforms. Official figures reveal that Pakistan is submitting an average of 829 takedown requests per day to social media platforms for removing unethical or blasphemous content.
In last 3.5 years, the telecom requested removal of over 1 million posts, targeting content considered immoral, anti-state, blasphemous, or hate-inducing.
