According to a spokeswoman, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) banned the popular online encyclopedia, Wikipedia blocked in Pakistan for failing to “block/remove sacrilegious information” within the 48-hour limit provided to the website.
Wikipedia is a free, crowdsourced, editable online encyclopaedia that millions of people across the world use as a starting point for basic knowledge.
Why Wikipedia Blocked In Pakistan?
The PTA bans Wikipedia in Pakistan on Wednesday for failing to comply with demands to remove problematic information from the website.
Press Release: PTA has degraded Wikipedia services in the country on account of not blocking / removing sacrilegious contents. pic.twitter.com/h6ZWuf8TnR
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) February 1, 2023
The regulator stated that the website had not replied to its demands or removed the information in question.
PTA spokeswoman Malahat Obaid told that the restriction was mostly issued due to non-compliance with the orders.
“The decision will be revisited after the regulatory authorities has detected sacrilegious information on Wikipedia,” the official continued.
Users are faced with “this site cannot be reached” while trying to access the website.
The notice seen when visiting Wikipedia.
Yesterday, the Wikimedia Foundation, the organisation that operates Wikipedia, claimed it “does not make judgements about what information is included on Wikipedia or how that content is maintained”.
This is done “by design to guarantee that articles are the product of many individuals coming together to select what information should be provided on the web, resulting in richer, more balanced content,” according to the company.
“We hope that the Pakistan government joins the Wikimedia Foundation in a commitment to knowledge as a human right and quickly restores access to Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects, so that the people of Pakistan may continue to receive and exchange information with the rest of the world,” it continues.
Wikipedia has been blocked in Pakistan.
— Wikimedia Foundation (@Wikimedia) February 4, 2023
Today, Pakistan’s Telecommunications Authority blocked @Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects in the country.
Follow the thread for more information ?⬇️ (1/4)https://t.co/8xM73if9B2
The telecom regulator stated earlier this week that it had sought Wikipedia to prohibit or delete the information in question by submitting a notice under “relevant legislation and court order(s)”.
“An opportunity to be heard was also granted, however the platform neither cooperated by deleting the blasphemous content nor appearing before the authorities,” according to the statement.
“Given the platform’s purposeful inability to comply with PTA orders, Wikipedia’s services have been downgraded for 48 hours with the direction to block/remove the reported content,” the statement continued.
The regulator warned that in case of non-compliance, Wikipedia will be prohibited in the nation and its restoration would be “reconsidered subjecting to blocking/removal of the alleged unlawful content”.
See More: People Are Updating “Calibri” Font’s Wikipedia Page After Social Media Went Frenzy
What do you think of the story? Tell us in the comments section below.
