ISPs ordered to block porn on YouTube
Karachi: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) that the PTA endeavoured to implement the SHC’s order and had directed all Internet Service Providers, operators from blocking obscene material available on youtube website.
The court was hearing petition against uploading of objectionable and obscene clips on internet. The issue came to notice of the court while hearing the petition of Sikandar Hayat who had submitted in a petition that the Federal Investigation Agency failed to initiate criminal proceedings against the persons who attempted to show obscenity by making close-ups of his daughter and uploaded it to you tube website.
The court had already given direction to PTA to ensure that any obscene material, which has been uploaded from Pakistan on youtube website, should be removed or blocked. The authority was also suggested to regulate the issue regarding uploading of objectionable and obscene material from Pakistan by issuing guidelines to Internet Service Providers and discouraging such uploading.
The SHC had earlier taken notice over non compliance of the court order regarding removal of obscene material upload from Pakistan on internet website youtube. The court had put the Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority on notice to ensure compliance of the court order as PTA issued licenses to internet service providers observing that it should be notified to all ISPs that if any obscene image is found or uploaded in Pakistan on their website their license shall be cancelled.
In compliance with the court order, PTA official Abdul Batin filed compliance report submitting that PTA has directed all ISPs and operators for blocking obscene material available on the youtube.
He submitted that all zonal officers of PTA had implemented the directives of the court and they issued letters to ISPs and operators for blocking the objectionable link regarding daughter of the petitioner and the page is no longer available on the youtube.
PTA official submitted that the authority had also established a complaint cell to lodge a complaint regarding internet offences or obscenity and when PTA receive complaint the same will be investigated and if objectionable material is found the same will blocked at earliest. He added that PTA endeavoured to implement the orders of the SHC and upon receiving the intimation or knowledge of illegal uploading of obscene images within the country it immediately inform the ISPs to locate the URL address and block the same as and when identified.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that there were further steps, which the PTA should take to minimise the obscene material on internet.
The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, asked the petitionerÂ’s counsel to place such suggestions in writing in 10 days so that the same with the assistance of PTA could be responded.
The court adjourned hearing to October 26.
Remand Home:The Sindh High Court was informed by an official of Home department that proposed draft of rules for Juvenile Remand Home had been received and soon after analysing the draft the same be submitted to competent authority for approval.
The court was hearing the petition pertaining to improper infrastructure of the Juvenile Remand Home. Former President of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, M.Ilyas Khan, who was appointed to assist court regarding responsibility of the government, informed the court that rules required to be framed by the government in this regard were, however, not framed yet.
Additional Home Secretary Riazuddin submitted that Ghulam Madni Memon Advocate of a non-government organisation (NGO) had prepared a draft of rules for the Remand Home and submitted it to Home Department. He said that Home Department after analyzing the same send it to Law Department for vetting after which it will be submitted for competent authority for approval. The court directed the provincial law officer to submit the same to assistant of amicus curiae and adjourned the hearing till October 29.
Source: The News
Date:9/30/2010
” 
” 
” 
” 
