Pakistan Threatens Google, Wikipedia for Sharing ‘Sacrilegious Content’ Online, Calls for Immediate Removal of ‘Unlawful Content’ From Its Platforms
Islamabad, December 26: Pakistan has reportedly threatened internet giants Google and Wikipedia and have sent notice to them over 'sacrilegious content' which comprises of content like caricatures of Prophet Mohammed and an 'unauthentic' version of the Quran- the Holy Book of the Muslims. According to reports, the Pakistani regulators on Friday decried internet giants Google and Wikipedia for "disseminating sacrilegious content." The Pakistani regulator said that in case the platforms remain non-compliant, PTA shall be constrained to initiate further action under Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) and Rules 2020.
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The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) took to Twitter and said that it has issued notices to Google Inc. and Wikipedia on account of disseminating sacrilegious content through the platforms. In a series of tweets, the PTA said that being a matter of very serious nature, PTA has approached Google Inc. with the directions to immediately remove the unlawful content. "PTA has been receiving complaints regarding misleading search results associated with “Present Khalifa of Islam” and unauthentic version of Holy Quran uploaded by Ahmadiyya Community on Google Play Store", the tweet read. TikTok Banned in Pakistan For 'Immoral, Unlawful Online Content'.
Here's the official press release by the PTA:
Press Release: PTA issues Notices to Google Inc. and Wikipedia on account of disseminating sacrilegious content through the platforms. pic.twitter.com/AhG9PHCJS1
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) December 25, 2020
Being a matter of very serious nature, PTA has approached Google Inc. with the directions to immediately remove the unlawful content.
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) December 25, 2020
A tweet that carried the PTA press release stated that, "Complaints were also received regarding hosting of caricatures of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and dissemination of misleading, wrong, deceptive and deceitful information through articles published on Wikipedia portraying Mirza Masroor Ahmad as a Muslim,” the PTA said in a statement published on its official Twitter handle". It must be noted that Ahmad is honored as a Khalifa by members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, a persecuted minority in Pakistan.
