Pakistan Telecom Authority Bans Wikipedia Over 'Blasphemous Content'

The blacklisting comes only days after the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) stopped Wikipedia services for 48 hours and threatened to shut it down if 'blasphemous' information was not removed.

(Representational Image)

Source : Getty

Pakistan has blocked the online encyclopedia Wikipedia for failing to delete offensive or blasphemous content, the country's telecommunication authorities announced on Saturday. The blacklisting of Wikipedia comes only days after the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) reduced Wikipedia services for 48 hours and threatened to shut it if 'blasphemous' information was not removed.

The Wikimedia Foundation hosts Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia written and edited by volunteers all around the world.

According to PTA spokesperson Malahat Obaid, the restriction was mostly issued due to noncompliance with the directives, news agency PTI reported. 

"The decision can be reviewed once Wikipedia removes sacrilegious content that has been identified by the regulatory authority," the spokesperson added, the report said. 

According to the report, the PTA spokesperson previously indicated that by submitting a notification, Wikipedia was approached for blocking/removal of the said content.

A hearing was also provided; however, neither the platform responded by removing the blasphemous content nor appeared before the authority, as per the report. 

Due to the platform's purposeful inability to comply with PTA directives, Wikipedia's services were interrupted for 48 hours, with the directive to block/remove the reported items.

On Friday, the Wikimedia Foundation declared "it does not make decisions around what content is included on Wikipedia or how that content is maintained".

This is done "by design to ensure that articles are the result of many individuals coming together to select what information should be provided on the site, resulting in richer, more neutral articles," according to the company.

"As of Friday, February 3, our internal traffic reports show that Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects are no longer available to users in Pakistan," the statement read.

A Wikipedia firewall in Pakistan prevents the world's fifth most populated country from accessing the world's largest free knowledge store. If this trend continues, everyone would be denied access to Pakistan's history and culture, according to the report.

Here's How Twitter Reacted To The Recent Development: 

After successfully resolving issues like terrorism, corruption, unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, rupee devaluation, child labour, over population, and inflation the PDM government has finally decided to go after the real issue in the country - Wikipedia! pic.twitter.com/FXD4DkYk0G

— Syed Zain Raza (@SydZainRaza) February 2, 2023

Wikipedia is now the latest target of brain dead boomers at PTA.

Previously following sites/services have been arbitrarily banned in Pakistan (some are still banned):

-Youtube
-TikTok
-Facebook
-9GAG
-DavientArt
-PUBG
-Twitter
-WordPress
-Quora
-Imgur
-Telegram
-Wattpad

— Saad. (@ThisMyHandle) February 1, 2023

Some of you outraging over Wikipedia being banned are too damn young to remember the absolute shithousery of the Youtube ban back in '10-'12.

Truly a return to Zardari era, God help us.

— M. (@Hangintheredude) February 1, 2023

This is an extremely myopic and absurd decision.

Wikipedia is managed by volunteers.

Yes, certain editors misuse the platform now and then; how and why should that impact those who choose to ignore their vile content?

This is an affront to public's intelligence. https://t.co/BY2JvR0Ky5

— Zaki Khalid (@misterzedpk) February 1, 2023

Facebook and YouTube have already been blocked due to content deemed blasphemous.

The PTA issued complaints to Wikipedia and Google Inc in December 2020 for "disseminating sacrilegious content," while the country restricted YouTube from 2012 to 2016.

Pakistan has also blocked TikTok multiple times in recent years for failing to cease publishing "indecent" and "immoral" content.

In Muslim-majority Pakistan, blasphemy is a delicate subject.

(With Inputs From Agencies)