FACEBOOK TEAM IN PAKISTAN TO SOLVE ONLINE BLASPHEMY

ISLAMABAD Pakistan has said a team from Facebook will arrive in the country to address Islamabad’s reservations over what it calls “blasphemous and objectionable material” being distributed on the social media platform.

A spokesperson for the interior ministry said Facebook’s administration had responded positively to a request from the government and “on Thursday agreed to send a delegation to resolve Pakistan’s reservations”.

The spokesperson said Facebook’s management also conveyed to the authorities that it was aware of Pakistan’s reservations and wanted to settle the issue through mutual consultation and dialogue.

The regulator of the telecom sector – Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) – has appointed a focal person to be in constant contact with Facebook’s administration. Last week, the Parliament passed a resolution against “blasphemous” content shared on Facebook. On Wednesday, interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told reporters the government is determined to use every option to remove blasphemous material from Facebook and other social media sites.

He was hopeful Facebook’s management would “respect the religious sentiments of 200 million people of Pakistan and millions of other users, and extend its complete cooperation”. Khan also directed investigation agencies to identify elements involved in allegedly spreading blasphemous material online. HTC