ISLAMABAD: The Government has blocked 8000 SIM Cards of those who were disseminating fake news.
This was told by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Division in response to a calling attention notice in the National Assembly. He said that the government had launched several measures to contain the menace including formation of a joint task force that had already furnished a report.
According to the Parliamentary Secretary, the serious problem of fakenews calls for reforms in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016. For instance, expediting the trial of such cases. He further told that the registration of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) was also aimed to regulate such activities carried out online.
While Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) (اسلامی نظریاتی کونسل) has termed the VPNs as un-Islamic (ghair sharae), maintaining that was enabling terrorists convey their messages clandestinely, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has asked PTA, by means of a correspondence, to block such networks that are being operated illegally.
Chairman of CII, noted that VPN’s could be used to carry out illegal activities sans accountability, as the identity remains hidden, which breach Islamic law: “VPN technology allows users to conceal their true identities and locations, often granting access to government-blocked websites…the permissibility of any action in Islamic law depends on its purpose and method.”
MoI, holding that VPNs were augmenting risks to national security, stated: “VPNs are increasingly being exploited by the terrorists to facilitate violent activities…Of late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications.”
The Ministry of Interior, (in its letter dated 15th Nov, 2024) has asked the Chairman PTA to block illegal VTNs. Signed by a Section Officer of FIA, the correspondence reads: “I am directed to refer to the subject cited above and to state that VPNs are increasingly being exploited by the terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan.
“Of late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications, VPNs are also being used for directly accessing pornographic and blasphemous contents. It is pointed out that Pakistan is considered as one of the countries where porn sites are frequently visited by using VPNs, however, these trends warrant prohibition of unauthorised VPNs to address the critical threats.
“It is, therefore, requested to block illegal VPNs across Pakistan so that legitimate/registered VPNs users may not be affected. In addition, registration of VPNs with PTA may also be made till 30th November, 2024. This issues with approval of the Competent Authority.”
Newspakistan.tv
