TikTok ban in Pakistan: PTA responds to media reports

• PTA denies saying that TikTok did not give a "positive response."
• The institution says its representative did not make such a remark in court.
• The report submitted to court states TikTok is cooperating with PTA in regulating objectionable content.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority on Thursday responded to media reports stating the state institution had claimed of not receiving a positive response from TikTok.

"With reference to the hearing on TikTok App in Peshawar High Court today, it is being quoted in certain section[s] of media that the PTA director said the authority had sent a request to TikTok officials but had not yet received a 'positive response'," the PTA said in a Twitter post.

The institution said its representative did not make such a remark in the court hearing.

"In fact, the report submitted to the court, which is part of the record, stated that TikTok is cooperating with PTA in regulating objectionable content," it added.

PHC orders immediate ban

Earlier, the PHC ordered Pakistani authorities to immediately ban video-sharing social networking service TikTok. The orders were issued by PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan, who was hearing a petition filed by a citizen seeking a ban on Tiktok.

During the hearing, the PHC CJ observed that videos uploaded on TikTok are "not acceptable for the Pakistani society”. He added that the people that were mostly affected by TikTok were the youth.

The judge also expressed his displeasure over the “reports” he was receiving related to TikTok.

“Tik​​tok videos are spreading obscenity, it [the app] should be shut down immediately,” ordered Chief Justice Qaisar Rashid Khan.