In a startling admission, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeezur Rehman told the National Assembly Standing Committee that while the PTA can block entire social media platforms, it lacks the technology to remove specific content — a capability only the US and Israel currently possess.
Speaking during a briefing on controlling defamatory and offensive digital material, Rehman explained that around 80% of harmful content is removed via cooperation with social media companies, not direct action. A Meta delegation is currently in Pakistan to boost coordination, he added.
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He also pointed out how VPNs pose a major challenge to digital regulation. “When users install VPNs, they bypass our entire content regulation system,” he stated, adding that over 40 VPN services are active in Pakistan.
The chairman confirmed that platform X (formerly Twitter) was officially blocked in February 2024 on government orders. Meanwhile, concerns over TikTok content dominated the discussion, with lawmakers urging stricter monitoring of vulgar and obscene material.
