The Pakistani government has banned Wikipedia from the country for 48 hours in reference to the removal of blasphemous material. Now that blasphemous content is not removed, Pakistan has blocked Wikipedia. Shahbaz Sarkar had ordered the removal of the ‘blasphemous’ content, but the content was not removed by the platform.
The Pakistani government has banned Wikipedia from the country for 48 hours in reference to the removal of blasphemous material. Now that blasphemous content is not removed, Pakistan has blocked Wikipedia. Shahbaz Sarkar had ordered content containing ‘profanity’ to be removed, but the content was not removed by the platform, after which this action was taken.
Pakistan blocked Wikipedia
On February 1, Wikipedia services were “banned” in Pakistan for 48 hours for “blasphemous content.” A report says that now Wikipedia has been blocked after the expiration of 48 hours. A report says Pakistan blocked Wikipedia services because the platform failed to remove “profane content.” The action comes days after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority or PTA warned of actions in case of non-compliance.
Instructions were given to remove the blasphemous material
The PTA said Wikipedia had been contacted to block/remove profane material. It is unclear at this time what Wikipedia is being asked to remove. The forum did not comply with the removal of the blasphemous material or appear before authorities, the PTA said in a statement. The regulator said restoring Wikipedia’s services would be reconsidered, subject to removal of suspected illegal content.
Interestingly, Wikipedia has an article on ‘Wikipedia Censorship’. He noted that similar Wikipedia bans have occurred in countries such as China, Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.
Press Release: PTA has downgraded Wikipedia services in the country for failing to block/remove sacrilegious content. pic.twitter.com/h6ZWuf8TnR
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) February 1, 2023