• June 11, 2021
• Social Media
• Web Desk

ISLAMABAD   – Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi Thursday directed the Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to take cognizance of the ‘selective action’ by Facebook management against Pakistani and Kashmiri Social Media activists and take appropriate action in this regard.

The directions were passed during the 18th meeting of the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee chaired by Shehryar Afridi here. Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chairman PTA, delegation of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and others also attended the meeting. Chaudhry Zafar, President of Canada-Pakistan Global Congress also attended as an observer from Canada.

The Committee also passed two unanimous resolutions to denounce the recent Indian maneuvers and army deployment in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the recent terrorist attack on a Muslim family in Canada amid rise of Islamophobia.

The Committee gave a nod to the roadmap of international visits for lobbying on Kashmir. Briefing the committee on the future engagement with diplomatic corps, Chairman Kashmir Committee said that in wake of significant reduction in Covid-19 pandemic, the Committee delegations would soon be visiting Turkey, Central Asian states, US and UK to lobby on Kashmir Dispute. He said other than the Kashmir Committee members, the APHC leadership would also be a part of these delegations.

The Committee gave a detailed hearing to Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Maj. Gen (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa over the action taken against the Facebook management on the recent suspension of accounts and pages of Pakistani users.

He said that the PTA had sensitised about the concerns of Pakistan and Kashmiris about censorship of activists on human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the reduction of complaints reflected that there was a change in the mindset of the social media sites management.

However, Chairman Kashmir Committee Shehryar Afridi questioned the PTA chief why the managements of Facebook and Twitter did not set up their offices in Pakistan yet. Referring to a recent statement of Facebook management about suspension of several accounts and pages of Pakistani users, Afridi asked what action had been taken by the PTA against the Facebook team.

Chairman KC said why the Facebook team had refused to turn up in the Kashmir Committee meeting and directed PTA to ensure that Facebook representative must attend the next meeting of the Committee.

Newspaper: The Nation