Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to regularize text messaging in the country

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to regularize text messaging in the country

The Pakistan telecommunication companies have been sent orders to block text messages containing what could be perceived to be obscenities, claimed the spokeswoman for Telenor Pakistan, Miss Anjum Nida  Rehman.

The spokeslady for Telenor Pakistan told the media reporters on Friday that Pakistan’s telecommunications authority has sent a letter to the cell phone companies ordering them to block the text messages containing vulgar content.

Rehman further added that the Pakistan telecommunications authority, in its letter, has also sent a list of more than 1,500 English and Urdu words which the cell phone companies are supposed to block.

Anjum Nida  Rehman, the spokeswoman of Telenor Pakistan, said that it was part of PTCA’s attempt to block spam messages. She further added that her company first received the letter Thursday and was discussing how to proceed.

“It’s a big issue, so it is being examined carefully from all points of view,” said Miss Rahman.

The Associated Press of Pakistan has also obtained a copy of the list and has revealed that most of the words in PTCA’s list that are supposed to be blocked were sexually explicit terms or swear words. The list of more than 1500 words also includes some
mild words like idiot and fart, according to the APP.

The list also included some religious words like Jesus Christ, tampon and headlights. Orders to block such words is raising questions about religious freedom and practicality. However, the Pakistan telecommunications authority’s seems to be in a mood to
block all those words that could conceivably be part of a spam message.

AP claimed that they have also received a copy of the letter and it was dated November 14. The letter said the order was legal under a 1996 law preventing people from sending information through the telecommunications system that is “false, fabricated, indecent
or obscene.”

It also stated that free speech can be restricted “in the interest of the glory of Islam.”

According to the copy of the letter with AP, the companies have been given a deadline of seven days to implement the orders.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=4048

Posted by Asma Rafique on Nov 18 2011. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry