Pakistan blocks WikipediaThe Pakistani government on Saturday blocked Wikipedia after the website refused to remove objectionable or blasphemous content, according to a media report. Just a few days ago, The News newspaper reported that the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) had crippled Wikipedia’s services for 48 hours and threatened to block the website if it allowed content deemed ‘blasphemous’. continues.
When a PTA spokesperson was contacted late Friday night and inquired about the blocking of Wikipedia, the official confirmed that “yes” it had been blocked. On the directions of the High Court, the PTA blocked and slowed down the encyclopedia-website for 48 hours as it contained blasphemous material.
A PTA spokesperson said that Wikipedia was contacted to block/remove the said content by issuing a notice. was also given an opportunity of being heard; However, the platform neither complied with the removal of the blasphemous content nor appeared before the authority. In view of the willful failure on the part of the platform to comply with the directions of the PTA, Wikipedia’s services were downgraded with a direction to block/remove the reported content for 48 hours.
The spokesperson said that if the reported illegal content is blocked/removed, the restoration of Wikipedia’s services will be reconsidered. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia created and edited by volunteers around the world and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. Social media giants Facebook and YouTube have been blocked in the past over blasphemous content. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan.
(With inputs from PTI)
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