Govt will go to any extent to prevent blasphemy on social media: Nisar

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday said that it would go to any extent to prevent publication of blasphemous content on the internet, after a Pakistani court ordered the government to open investigation into online blasphemy.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday ordered the government to block blasphemous content from the social media, directing authorities to put names of the blasphemers on the Exit Control List (ECL).

IHC Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said, "All of us have to collectively eliminate this evil. Even if we cannot stop this around the world, but in Pakistan we can make sure that no one dare disrespect our sacred personalities of Islam."

He also directed PTA chairman to form a cell that might identify pages containing blasphemous material.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Thursday chaired a high-level meeting here, which held a detailed review of publication of blasphemous content on social media. He urged all social media operators to cooperate with the government on the issue.

"We will go to any extent (including) permanently blocking all such social media websites if they refuse to cooperate," Nisar said in a statement.

No country can allow religious sentiments to be hurt or top state functionaries to be subjected to ridicule under what the minister described as "the pretext of freedom of expression."

The meeting was attended by interior secretary, chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, advocate general and other high-ups from the Ministry of Interior and Federal Investigation Agency.