In Pakistan, 20 million attempts made daily to access porn websites: PTA

In an effort to put a stop to the access of porn and blasphemous websites nationwide, PTA has stepped up its efforts.

Between 2018 and 2024, PTA banned access to around 844,000 porn websites and blocked 1,183 URLs with blasphemous content. Approximately 20 million efforts are being made every day to access pornographic websites within Pakistan in the face of these safeguards, and many of them utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) to get around the prohibitions.

PTA is improving steps to restrict harmful content and is aggressively working to prevent illicit access.

PTA was recently encouraged by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to prohibit and restrict access to dangerous online materials. It also includes blasphemous and pornographic material.

In a letter to the top telecommunications regulator, the religious affairs ministry expressed concerns over Pakistan becoming “one of the leading countries in terms of viewing pornographic content, which is highly alarming, especially in light of its negative impact on public morality and the well-being of our society.” 

In response to the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ recent request, PTA emphasized its willingness to do everything within its power. PTA will limit online access to pornographic and blasphemous content.

Since July 2024, there were approximately 1.3 million banned URLs. They were banned due to the PTA’s aggressive blocking of websites that contain “anti-Islam, indecent, and immoral” content. 

Earlier this month, PTA’s online monitoring system analyzed 1.38 million URLs. They blocked 93.84% of them because of improper content, according to a report presented before the Peshawar High Court earlier this month.

Of the blocked URLs, 1.02 million were classified as “decency and immorality,” according to additional information.

53,872 Twitter URLs, 127,569 Facebook URLs, and 125,600 TikTok URLs have been banned.

The PTA also revealed that TikTok has eliminated over 113,000 contents deemed immoral or anti-Islamic since 2020. With 24,800 removals this year alone.