Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to ban apps like TikTok and cleanse the internet over the growing obscenity and vulgarity being spread through social media platforms according to Information Minister Shibli Faraz.
According to The News, the information minister said that the premier is concerned about such platforms destroying the socio-religious values of Pakistan and has discussed this issue with his several times and wants to implement a strategy to check the spread of vulgarity on the internet.
Shibli Faraz also quoted Prime Minister Imran Khan as saying that the growing obscenity and vulgarity through apps like TikTok lead to increase in sexual crimes such as rape of children and women.
Read more: PTA asks YouTube to block Indecent Content.
Thus, the premier believes that apps like TikTok should be banned and the internet be cleansed of vulgarity to protect the values religious and cultural values of Pakistani society society.
Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that he told PM Imran Khan that the owners of such apps and services will be contacted first and asked to respect the locals laws and moderate the content shared on these platforms.
According to Shibli Faraz, the prime minister has spent most of his life in the west and knows the importance of social and cultural values. He ensured that every step wil be taken to check and control the spread of vulgar and indecent content in the country.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has also taken notice of content being aired on television especially after a recent clip from state-owned PTV was shared on social media showing a female working out in gym attire which was considered inappropriate by many people.
The information minister said that he will be meeting with the Managing Director (MD) of PTV to ensure that no such content is broadcasted on the channel.
Furthermore, according to The News article by Ansar Abbasi, the same person who made the PTV clip viral thus sparking a controversial debate on social media, states that Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed Special Assistant on Information Lt Gen (retd) Asim Bajwa to implement a strategy to cleanse Pakistani dramas and films as well.
Asim Bajwa has been directed to help produce films about Islamic history and its heroes which are free from vulgarity and obscenity. According to the article, Bajwa has already contacted drama and film makers of Pakistan to change the current trend which focuses on a more Bollywood type of productive to trend followed by Turkey and Iran.
The Turkish drama Ertugrul which started airing in Pakistan on the directives on Prime Minister Imran Khan has broken all records while showcasing Islamic history.
However, it is pertinent to mention that not all Turkish dramas are about Islamic history and some even showcase implied sex scenes and kissing and there is no clarification if Pakistan is to move towards the complete trend being followed by Turkey.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has also been hard at work trying to censor the internet. The regulator has banned several dating apps which promoted homosexuality and has issued warnings to TikTok to remove all objectionable content from their app otherwise action will be taken.
Read more: PTA asks TikTok to block vulgar, immoral & nude content.