FACEBOOK TEAM IN PAKISTAN TO SOLVE ONLINE BLASPHEMY

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan has said a team from Facebook will arrive in the country to resolve Islamabad’s reservations over what it calls blasphemous and objectionable material on the social media website.

Responding positively to the government, the Facebook administration on Thursday agreed to send a delegation to resolve Pakistan’s reservations, said a spokesperson of the interior ministry.

The management of Facebook has conveyed it was aware of Pakistan’s reservations and wanted to resolve the issue through mutual consultation and dialogue.

Meanwhile, the regulator of the telecom sector - Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has appointed a focal person to get into constant contact with the website’s administration. Last week, the parliament passed a resolution against this content.

On Wednesday Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar told reporters the government was determined to use every option to remove blasphemous material from Facebook and other social media websites.

He was hopeful the Facebook management would “respect the religious sentiments of 200 million people of Pakistan and millions of other users, and extend its complete cooperation.”

He directed the investigation agencies in identifying the elements involved in the spread of blasphemous material.