Friday, March 29, 2024

TikTok has been banned by the SHC until July 8th

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has banned the country’s popular video-sharing platform TikTok for “immoral content” and for celebrating LGBTQ Pride month. The latest ban, the third in two years, will be in effect until at least July 8, the next hearing.

The SHC board issued the order on Monday when it heard the “complaints and orders” in which the applicant nominated the federal government, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), and TikTok as defendants.

On March 11, the Peshawar Court (PC) also ordered the PTA to ban TikTok for “immoral content.” However, PHC lifted the ban on April 1 after the PTA notified the court that it had raised the issue again with the TikTok administration.

PHC has directed the PTA to ensure that viewers from Pakistan do not have access to unethical and unsolicited material in accordance with the provisions of the E-Crime Prevention Act 2016.

SHC commented on a previous court ruling that the Council of Ministers overturned the TikTok ban based on the testimony of the representatives of defendant 2, namely the PTA, but TikTok ignored the promises and representations made by them and the PTA in various courts.

“[TikTok] does not [follow] the basic laws and teachings of Pakistani Islam and culture and recently launched a social media campaign to celebrate LGBT Pride Month.”

Lawyers for Asad Ashfaq and Maaz Waheed confirmed the development in an interview with The Express Tribune. Separately, various petitioners also asked Pakistan’s Supreme Court to ban TikTok amid allegations of increased crime and drug use related to the use of the app.

Read Also: Biden Signs Executive Order to Cancel Trump-Era TikTok Ban in US

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