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The spokesperson of this agency confirmed that this site was blocked due to the presence of offensive content and said that despite contacts and requests, it could not be removed.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-February 4Ch2023 The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Saturday blocked Wikipedia in the country for allegedly containing offensive or blasphemous material.
The regulator blocked access to the site and downgraded portal services across the country.
A spokesman for the authority confirmed to the media on Friday evening that “yes, it has been closed”.
A spokesperson said that Wikipedia has been contacted to block/remove the blasphemous content by issuing a notice in accordance with applicable laws and court order(s). He said that he was also given an opportunity to be heard, but the platform did not try to resolve the issue.
Following the authorities’ failure, he said, the authorities have downgraded Wikipedia’s services and blocked it.
He said that services will be restored only if the blasphemous material is removed.
According to reports, Wikipedia expressed hope that the government of Pakistan would join it in its “commitment to knowledge as a human right and immediate access to @Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects” to enable people in the country to access and share knowledge. ..
The encyclopedia posted a tweet on Twitter, saying that suspending its service would deprive the people of Pakistan of their “right to access knowledge”.
It tweeted: “On February 1, we received a notice from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority stating that ‘Wikipedia services are down for 48 hours’ to remove ‘illegal’ content.” As of February 3, our data shows which is extended to the entire block.
The online encyclopedia has claimed that it is the 5th most populous country in the world the world “restricts” access to the largest repository of free knowledge, emphasizing that “access to knowledge is a human right.”
“If this continues, it will also deprive everyone of access to Pakistan’s history and culture,” he added.
