Blasphemous content: Govt convenes meeting of Muslim envoys today

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to stop blasphemous content on social media, Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan is to hold a meeting of envoys of all Islamic countries here today (Thursday).

The interior minister on Wednesday announced that he had invited all Muslim ambassadors to hold consultations on formulating a joint strategy to raise the issue at global forums.

While talking to media persons last day (Wednesday), the interior minister was of the opinion that 1.2 billion Muslims, if united, could send an effective message to social media websites.

“There should be a joint plan of action on the issue”, he added.

He apprised the journalists that Facebook has already showed its consent to send its delegation to Pakistan to address the issue and he would share details of the case being heard in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) with the ambassadors.

“With approval of the prime minister, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Raabta Alam-e-Islami will be approached”, he said.

It is pertinent to mention that Justice Shoukat Aziz Siddiqui of IHC on Wednesday remarked during hearing session on blasphemous content that a ban on Facebook should be imposed until the website cooperate with authorities.

Earlier, Punjab Assembly had adopted a resolution against blasphemous content on social media while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had urged interior minister to take effective measures to block the sacrilegious content.