LAHORE: The National Assembly has been informed that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is using the controversial Web Monitoring System (WMS) to block online applications and websites in Pakistan.
The minister in charge for the cabinet division, a division that has administrative control over the PTA, was questioned about the PTA’s procedures for blocking web applications in the country.
In a letter answer sent on August 26, the minister clarified that the PTA is obligated to block “unlawful content” under Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. While the PTA also submits complaints and requests for removal and disabling of programs directly to hosting corporations such as Apple and Google, it has deployed the WMS for “internet content management.”
