PTA informs SHC that it has no authority to remove defamatory content online
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) told the Sindh High Court (SHC) that PTA has no authority to remove defamatory content online. While submitting comments on petitions by television and film actresses Kubra Khan and Mehwish Hayat against outrageous and defamatory campaigns against them and other TV actresses on social media, a PTA executive argued that the Supreme Court of Islamabad had overruled the power of the PTA destroyed pursuant to section 20 of the Electronic Crimes Prevention Act (PECA) regarding the removal of defamatory content.
PTA informs SHC that it has no authority to remove defamatory content online
The PTA argued that if the Universal Resource Locator (URL) was hosted on a secure platform, then the administration of the affected website application would be approached to remove the illegal content. The Authority requested that the SHC either issue specific instructions to the social media platforms for the removal of the reported content or ask the petitioner to raise the matter directly with the social media platforms to resolve their grievances.
The Investigative Officer of the FIA Cybercrime Department informed the court that the PTA had been asked to remove the content, which will be done shortly. He added that the FIA had launched an investigation after providing complaint numbers.
PTA further said that it has requested the relevant authorities to remove the content uploaded from foreign territories.
The court then requested progress reports from authorities and adjourned the hearing to February 24.
Also see: SHC asked actor Kubra Khan to record a statement to the FIA
