In a large-scale operation, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked thousands of social media accounts accused of sharing anti-state content.
The telecom regulator took decisive action against platforms promoting anti-defense and anti-state narratives. According to PTA, 3,248 YouTube channels have been restricted for allegedly targeting Pakistan’s defense forces and state institutions.
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This move is part of a broader surveillance effort by state agencies aimed at curbing dissent and content deemed harmful to national security.
Sources report that over 100,000 URLs containing content against Pakistan’s defense and sovereignty have been blocked. Additionally, 68 Indian YouTube channels have been banned from airing in Pakistan for spreading hostile narratives.
PTA also confirmed the immediate ban on 13 Indian news channels and 20 Indian news websites. Two Pakistani journalists’ YouTube channels were also removed for allegedly breaching national security norms.
The crackdown spans various digital platforms, with official stats showing Pakistan sends an average of 829 takedown requests daily to social media sites for content considered unethical or blasphemous.
Over the past 3.5 years, PTA has sought the removal of more than one million posts deemed immoral, anti-state, blasphemous, or promoting hate.
