PTA blocks 1,077,815 harmful URLs across Pakistan

Islamabad: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has blocked more than 1.07 million URLs and websites containing harmful and inappropriate content, while more than 5,000 additional websites and URLs linked to child sexual abuse material have been blocked with the help of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, the Senate Human Rights Committee was informed.

The figures were presented in a briefing on online child protection during a meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri.

According to the PTA briefing, the authority has so far blocked 1,077,815 URLs and websites containing harmful or inappropriate material as part of its efforts to protect children from harmful content on the internet. The PTA has also worked with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency to remove or block more than 5,000 websites and URLs identified as containing child sexual abuse material.

The committee discussion also focused on the growing use of social media by children and the need for stronger protection measures. Members raised concerns about unverified foreign SIM cards and the use of social media accounts linked to SIMs issued outside Pakistan.

A representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection organisation told the committee that online safety had become a major issue and that some recent cases involved underage suspects. The representative urged the government to consider stronger recommendations regarding children’s use of mobile phones and online platforms.

The committee chairperson stressed that the problem was no longer a future concern and said the rapid spread of harmful material and incidents through social media had already become a serious issue.

The committee was also briefed about the Dark Web. A representative of the Sahil organisation said younger people could be drawn towards hidden online networks because of financial incentives and warned that access to such networks can be easier than many people expect.

PTA informed the committee that it has a complaint system through which members of the public can report unlawful online content. The authority has also provided a complaint management system and mobile application for Android and iOS users.

The PTA said 56 stakeholder organisations, including law enforcement agencies and government departments, are currently using its online portal to submit complaints concerning content that falls within their areas of responsibility.

The authority has also been running awareness programmes to help children, parents and teachers use the internet more safely. Under a programme with UNICEF, PTA has trained trainers and facilitators and said awareness activities have reached more than 8,000 participants.

PTA also informed the committee about its work with TikTok on online safety. Training has been provided to parents, teachers and students in 100 government schools, benefiting 12,575 participants. Educational material on online safety, cyberbullying, hacking threats, hate speech and misinformation has also been prepared.

The committee stressed that online safety requires cooperation between families, schools, regulators and law enforcement agencies and that blocking harmful material alone cannot fully protect children from online risks.