Following the orders of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed the country’s service providers to block users’ access to the video-sharing app TikTok.
In respectful compliance to the orders of the Peshawar High Court, PTA has issued directions to the service providers to immediately block access to the TikTok App. During the hearing of a case today, the PHC has ordered for the blocking of App.
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) March 11, 2021
This isn’t the first time that Tiktok has been banned in Pakistan, and according to Fawad Hussain, the Federal Minister for Science & Technology, this is a huge step back for which Pakistanis will pay a huge price:
Court Decision to ban TikTok is yet another Court Decision for which people of Pak will pay a huge price,I understand most of the judges are unaware of the tech working models, I ll request CJP to intervene and @MinistryofST ll work with Judiciary for tech modules for Judges
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 12, 2021
And people have a lot to add to the matter:
Judges need trainings and briefings on IT modules. They need to seek professional assistance before banning or unbanning something. @fawadchaudhry https://t.co/lIUWDu4TNm
— Umer Inam (@UmerInamPk) March 12, 2021
People wanted the authorities to regulate it rather than banning it:
Do not ban it. REGULATE it!!! https://t.co/frVWLInSSc
— I want uncut Harry Potter Movies (@harrypotter_pak) March 11, 2021
Please do not ban. Regulate it.
Regulate it.
Regulate it.
Regulate it.
Regulate it.No Ban.
No Ban.
No Ban. https://t.co/Wn5bdzuuOh— Ifraheem Nafees Shakoor (@devdevoted) March 11, 2021
People were sharing how this whole ban-culture needs to be addressed:
The whole culture of banning needs to be addressed ! Ban religious fanaticism, ban extremist views/ intolerance rather than banning mobile apps. https://t.co/ysI1giXYB1
— Beenish Javed (@beenishjaved) March 12, 2021
People were calling them boomers:
Boomers: the youth is lazy and doesn’t work hard and just wants easy money and power.
Meanwhile boomers: https://t.co/vrgGyOuvmI
— اسریٰ (@freakonomist5) March 12, 2021
Why don’t we just go back to 1945 as boomers from those times are still ruling. https://t.co/SgMZ7W7OEG
— Ali Raza (@AliRazarizvi34) March 11, 2021
People were throwing shade:
Digi-chal Pakistan https://t.co/dUsqj9eZvP
— Ashir Ali (@hailashirali) March 12, 2021
Digital Pakistan – onward and upward https://t.co/GPe11nvNl3
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) March 11, 2021
Once and for all:
Kindly block internet as well https://t.co/Fj82s13WNO
— Hummayun Chaudhry (@hummayunChoudri) March 11, 2021
Phew!
Pakistan bach gaya, fahashi sambhal gayee https://t.co/Hu1v7E2gir
— Faisal Rafi (@faisalrafi) March 11, 2021
People found it to be against their freedom of speech:
Crazy decision, just take out the troublemakers please , this is too draconian in freedom of speech and entertainment @PTAofficialpk https://t.co/G4nV4CnGmK
— Zafar Raja (@ZR786) March 11, 2021
😂
Sab ban kar do yar, hum log kheton mein hal chala letay hain https://t.co/b9SIDebaVz
— Arham (@ArhamThe4th) March 11, 2021
People found it to be ridiculous!
Hang on. Why is the Peshawar High Court able to order a ban of an entire platform?! This is effing ridiculous. https://t.co/dLMLhdbnBD
— Kalsoom Lakhani (@kalsoom82) March 11, 2021
Priorities?
Why is it the courts manage to find time for every frivolous suit magar waise logon ki zindagi guzar jaati hai aur case court main phassa rehta hai? https://t.co/DuSXlaGm6m
— B.Iqbal (@bok_iq) March 11, 2021
And while many were against the ban, others fully supported the ban:
Ap chaty hn mulk ma byhayaii aam hoti jai???TikTok is acceptable not byhayaii https://t.co/h3m0RVEVDn
— Raibebokhan (@raibebokhan) March 12, 2021
People wanted the ban to be lifelong:
A very good news but please keep it block forever🥰 #tiktokbanned #TikTok https://t.co/9XFcH6CuQ8
— Abroo Rajpoot🇵🇰🇹🇷🇵🇸 (@AbrooRajput1) March 11, 2021
People were congratulating fellow countrymen on the ban:
Congratulations to the country. Hopefully this stays. ! #tiktokbanned #Pakistan https://t.co/NSwtpKJe0X
— M. Fahad Khan | Fdk (@fdkhanofficial) March 11, 2021
People were calling it an excellent decision:
Excellent decision by #PHC https://t.co/iUx3cUCykK
— #Pakistan🇵🇰♥️ (@AdnanSohail) March 11, 2021
What do you think about the ban? Let us know in the comments below!