ISLAMABAD: PUBG MOBILE said this week it was working with Pakistani authorities to have a ban on its hugely popular online game Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) lifted, just days after Pakistan’s telecommunications regulator announced that a temporary ban imposed earlier this month would remain in place.
Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) had said on July 1 it was temporarily blocking the game after receiving complaints it was addictive and had a “serious negative impact on (the) physical and psychological health of the children” who play it.
On July 27, PTA said the game would remain blocked in Pakistan.
“We are working on the situation and looking to cooperate with relevant authorities to find a solution to bring the game back,” PUBG MOBILE said in a Facebook post. “PUBG MOBILE is committed to providing a balanced game environment. We respect local customs, laws, and regulations, while we strive to deliver the best possible gaming experience to you.”
The company thanked PUBG MOBILE fans in Pakistan “for their patience and support.”
“We are privileged to have in you, a passionate community of PUBG MOBILE fans,” the post concluded.
PUBG, made by South Korean firm Bluehole Inc, is a survival-themed battle game that drops dozens of online players on an island to try and eliminate each other. It was launched in 2017 and has a huge global following.
On July 21, PTA also said it had banned the Singaporean live-streaming app Bigo over “immoral, obscene and vulgar content” and issued a last warning to Chinese video sharing platform Tiktok for “similar” reasons.
PUBG Mobile thanks fans, says working with Pakistan to ‘bring game back’
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PUBG Mobile thanks fans, says working with Pakistan to ‘bring game back’
- Pakistan telecoms regulator temporarily banned the PUBG online video game on July 1
- On July 27, PTA said was waiting for PUBG to address ‘key concerns,’ game to remain blocked
Pakistan invites Uzbek firms to run off-dock terminals at Karachi Port
- Pakistan has offered landlocked Central Asian nations access to global sea lanes via its ports
- Officials in Islamabad seek greater regional cargo flows by modernizing port infrastructure
KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday invited Uzbek industry and trade stakeholders to consider operating dedicated off-dock terminals at Karachi Port, according to an official statement, as the country looks to expand the use of its maritime infrastructure for regional trade.
The offer was made during a visit by a 13-member delegation from Uzbekistan to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), where officials briefed them on port infrastructure, terminal operations and logistics-related investment opportunities.
Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed, the KPT chairman, highlighted ongoing development initiatives, rail and road connectivity and terminal operations.
“In this context, the Chairman invited Uzbek industry and trade stakeholders to consider operating dedicated off dock terminals at Karachi Port to facilitate their import and export operations,” the statement said.
Off-dock terminals are cargo handling and storage facilities located outside a port’s boundaries but connected to it by road or rail to ease congestion and support import and export operations.
The visiting delegation, led by Deputy Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade Gulamov Shokhrukh Khasanovich, also toured private terminals at Karachi Port and was briefed on the use of modern technologies at the facilities.
Pakistan has been offering landlocked Central Asian economies access to global sea lanes through its ports on the Arabian Sea and hopes to position itself as a transshipment hub by strengthening port infrastructure.
Officials say transshipment hubs enable the transfer of cargo from one vessel to another, facilitating regional and international trade and generating revenue.
As part of its port modernization drive, Pakistan has engaged Abu Dhabi Ports Group to upgrade its maritime infrastructure.
