Shivangi Prakash-
On Friday, a Pakistani Court reversed its order to ban TikTok, a popular short video-sharing app, for spreading immorality in the Country.
This is the second time this year, and the third time since TikTok was banned in Pakistan in October 2020, only for the restrictions to be reversed later.
After judgement by a Sindh Court, hearing a private citizen’s plea against the Chinese-owned app, the Pakistan Telecoms Authority (PTA) barred access for the third time on Thursday.
The video-sharing platform’s massive fan following in Pakistan, many of whom use it to market and sell things online, condemned TikTok’s suspension.
However, critics in the very conservative Muslim Country claim that it promotes vulgarity and content that is LBGQT.
During a hearing on Friday, the PTA notified the Court that it had already stopped access to the app, but it also asked the Court to reconsider its decision and enable it to restore services.
The High Court agreed to the petitioner’s request to lift the prohibition but requested that the PTA speed the process and gives a verdict by July 5.
Representatives from the PTA tell the Court that the appeal, which seeks the removal of “objectionable content”, will be considered by the Court on the specified date.
The Court was deferred until Monday when the PTA would reveal the decision it had made to address the petitioner’s worry about indecent information being uploaded to the app.
Even senior Pakistani officials looked perplexed by the back and forth. “I am baffled after reading the verdict on suspension of TikTok“, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.