Pakistan regulators threaten Google and Wikipedia: Here is why

Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) Friday decried web giants Google and Wikipedia for its ‘blasphemous’ content material. It has issued notices to Google and Wikipedia asking them to both take away the “sacrilegious content” or face authorized penalties.
The discover was despatched underneath Pakistan’s Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguard) Rules 2020, by which the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is authorised to take away any on-line content material they deem illegal.
Press Release: PTA points Notices to Google Inc. and Wikipedia on account of disseminating sacrilegious content material by the platforms. pic.twitter.com/AhG9PHCJS1— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) December 25, 2020
In a press launch, Pakistan regulators mentioned it has been receiving complaints concerning deceptive search outcomes related to the “unauthentic version of the Holy Quran” uploaded by the Ahmedi neighborhood on Google Play Store. It additionally identified to pages that identify spiritual chief Mirza Masroor Ahmad as the present “Khalifa” or chief of Islam. It mentioned that this contradicts the dominant spiritual beliefs within the nation. 
Pakistan threatens Google and Wikipedia of authorized motion
Calling the difficulty severe in nature, the Pakistan authority approached Google Inc with instructions to instantly take away the ‘unlawful content’ or face authorized motion, the assertion mentioned.
In the press launch, the authorities added: “Complaints were also received regarding hosting of caricatures of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and dissemination of misleading, wrong, deceptive and deceitful information through articles published on Wikipedia portraying Mirza Masroor Ahmad as a Muslim,” the PTA mentioned in an announcement revealed on its official Twitter deal with. It is pertinent to notice that Mirza Masroor Ahmad is a frontrunner of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and Pakistan appears to have taken offence that he’s being referred to as a ‘Muslim’ by Wikipedia.
It additional learn that after intensive communication, the notices had been lastly served to the web giants, asking them to instantly pulled down the blasphemous content material or face authorized motion.
In case the platforms stay non-compliant, the PTA shall be constrained to provoke additional motion underneath Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) and Rules 2020, the assertion mentioned.
Full textual content of the discover issued by Pakistan
“PTA has been receiving complaints regarding misleading search results associated with “Present Khalifa of Islam” and unauthentic model of Holy Quran uploaded by Ahmadiyya Community on Google Play Store. Being a matter of very severe nature, PTA has approached Google Inc. with the instructions to instantly take away the illegal content material. The platform has been issued with the discover underneath Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguard) Rules 2020 (“Rules”) to take away the sacrilegious content material to keep away from any authorized motion by the Regulator.
Complaints had been additionally acquired concerning internet hosting of caricatures of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and dissemination of deceptive, unsuitable, misleading and deceitful info by articles revealed on Wikipedia portraying Mirza Masroor Ahmad as a Muslim. After intensive communication on the matter, Wikipedia has been lastly served with the discover to take away the sacrilegious content material to keep away from any authorized motion.
In case the platforms stay non-compliant, PTA shall be constrained to provoke additional motion underneath Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) and Rules 2020″