Citizen moves PHC for blocking indecent, immoral content on TikTok

PESHAWAR: A citizen on Monday moved a writ petition in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) seeking its directives for the authorities concerned to impose strict censorship on TikTok and other such video-sharing applications in the country.

Asmat Asim stated in his petition that Islam and our society don’t permit whatever is going on TikTok where people upload objectionable videos, peddling vulgarity. He said deaths by suicide have increased due to the app.

The petitioner pleaded with the high court to direct the authorities to block immoral and indecent content on TikTok.

Earlier, a lawyer had approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking directives for the federal authorities to ban the app in the country. Advocate Nadeem Sarwar stated that the video-sharing app was disastrous for the younger generation as it was not only leading to wastage of time and money but also promoting vulgarity.

Besides, he submitted, acts of blackmailing and harassment are on the rise because of TikTok. If not banned, it would prove to be harmful to the country’s social fabric, he added.

Therefore, he pleaded with the high court issued directives for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to impose a permanent ban on the use of TikTok in the country.