Ban on social media app TikTok lifted — Pakistani science minister

A man opens social media app 'Tik Tok' on his cell phone, in Islamabad, Pakistan on July 21, 2020. (AP/File)
Short Url
Updated 01 April 2021
Follow

Ban on social media app TikTok lifted — Pakistani science minister

  • A court in Peshawar last month banned TikTok after a private complainant said app was spreading indecency
  • TikTok says “pleased” the platform was once again available to the company’s community in Pakistan

KARACHI: Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Pakistan’s minister for science and technology, announced on Thursday the Peshawar High Court had lifted a ban on popular social media app TikTok, with the company saying it was “pleased” the platform was once more available in Pakistan.
On March 11, a court in the northwestern city of Peshawar said it had ordered TikTok banned after a private complainant said the app was spreading indecent content. Internet service providers were directed to immediately block access to the app, which stopped working within an hour of the direction.
“Pesh HC [Peshawar High Court] has suspended the operation of single bench judgment, ban on @TikTok_Paki has been lifted,” Hussain said on Twitter. “My submission is let’s be very careful while taking decisions that may effect Economic future of Pak, we need a framework to encourage int[ernational] companies so to make Pak their investment hub.”

TikTok has been one of the most-downloaded apps in the South Asian nation behind WhatsApp and Facebook.
In a statement released on Thursday, TikTok said:
“We are pleased that TikTok is once again available to our community in Pakistan. This is a testament to TikTok’s continued commitment to enforcing our Community Guidelines to promote a safe and positive community online.”
It added: “We want to acknowledge Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s support and ongoing productive dialogue, and recognize their care for the digital experience of Pakistani users, which goes a long way to assuring a stable, enabling environment to allow us to explore further investment in Pakistan, and to keep open vital economic opportunities for Pakistani creators through TikTok.”
Last August, Pakistan blocked five dating apps, namely Tinder, Tagged, Skout, Grinder and SayHi. On July 21, Paksitan’s telecoms regulator said it had banned the Singaporean live-streaming app Bigo over “immoral, obscene and vulgar content” and issued a last warning to Tiktok for “similar” reasons. Bigo was subsequently unbanned. The hugely popular online game PUBG also remained banned in Pakistan through last July.


Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military

Updated 10 sec ago
Follow

Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military

  • Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is a 43-member alliance that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and other nations
  • The Pakistani military statement comes after a meeting between IMCTC secretary-general and the chief of Pakistani defense forces in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, including intelligence sharing and capacity building, to jointly combat “terrorism” and “extremism,” the Pakistani military said on Monday.

The IMCTC is a 43-member military alliance that was formed on Saudi Arabia’s initiative in Dec. 2015 to consolidate Muslim countries’ efforts in countering “terrorism.”

A 17-member IMCTC delegation is visiting Pakistan from Feb. 2-6 to conduct a training at National University of Sciences and Technology on “Re-integration and Rehabilitation of Extremist Elements,” according to the Pakistani military.

On Monday, IMCTC Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi held a meeting with Chief of Pakistani Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss cooperation among IMCTC member states.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, with particular emphasis on regional security dynamics and enhanced cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing, said in a statement.

“Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism and extremism through collaborative strategies, intelligence sharing, and capacity building among member states.”

The IMCTC features Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, UAE, Bangladesh and other nations. In 2017, Pakistan’s former army chief Gen. (retd) Raheel Sharif was appointed as the IMCTC commander-in-chief.

During discussions with Major General Al-Moghedi, Field Marshal Munir appreciated the role of IMCTC in fostering stability and promoting coordinated counterterrorism initiatives across the Islamic world, according to the ISPR.

The IMCTC secretary-general acknowledged Pakistan’s significant contributions and sacrifices in the fight against militancy and lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces.

“The meeting underscored the resolve of both sides to further strengthen institutional collaboration for peace, stability, and security in the region,” the ISPR added.

Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with most Muslim countries around the world, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In Sept. 2025, Pakistan signed a landmark defense pact with Saudi Arabia according to which an act of aggression against one country will be treated as an act of aggression against both.