The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday dismissed reports of its chairperson recommending the blocking of social media websites, saying they were "entirely false".
PTA took to its official Twitter account to announce the news, "The media reports of #PTA recommending blocking of social media websites are entirely false."
The media reports of #PTA recommending blocking of social media websites are entirely false.
— PTA Pakistan (@PTAofficialpk) July 26, 2019
According to reports online, it was reported that PTA Chairperson Amir Azeem Bajwa had recommended the government block social media websites in the country.
Briefing a Senate Standing Committee, Bajwa had said there was blasphemous content on social media and several fake accounts. He added that the majority of websites were being operated from outside the country.
The PTA chairperson had called on the government to formulate a policy and block social media networks. He had recommended that like in other countries, indigenous social networking websites should be made.
PTA has been tasked by the government to make social media rules which would be presented soon, said Bajwa during the briefing session.
Further, the PTA chairperson had said the body had received 8,000 complaints regarding blasphemous content and over 40,000 websites were blocked. Referring on the dark web, Bajwa had said it was hard to control.