Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir She
hryar Khan Afridi Thursday directed the Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to take cognizance of the ‘selectiv
e action’ by Facebook management ag
ainst Pakistani and Kashmiri social media activists and take appropriat
e action in this regard.
The directions were passed during the 18th meeting of the Parliamentary Kashmir Committee chaired by She
hryar Afridi here.
Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chairman PTA, delegation of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and others also attended the meeting. Chaudhry Zafar, President of Canada-Pakistan Global Congress also attended as an observer from Canada.
The Committee also passed two unanimous resolutions to denounce the recent Indian maneuvers and army deployment in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the recent terrorist attack on a Muslim family in Canada amid rise of Islamophobia.
The Committee gave a nod to the roadmap of international visits for lobbying on Kashmir. Briefing the committee on the future engagement with diplomatic corps, Chairman Kashmir Committee said that in wake of significant reduction in Covid-19 pandemic, the Committee delegations would soon be visiting Turkey, Central Asian states, US and UK to lobby on Kashmir Dispute. He said other than the Kashmir Committee members, the APHC leadership would also be a part of these delegations.
The Committee gave a detailed hearing to Chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Maj. Gen (R) Amir Azeem Bajwa over th
e action taken ag
ainst the Facebook management on the recent suspension of accounts and pages of Pakistani users.
He said that the PTA had sensitised about the concerns of Pakistan and Kashmiris about c
ensorship of activists on human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the reduction of complaints reflected that there was a change in the mindset of the social media sites management.
However, Chairman Kashmir Committee She
hryar Afridi questioned the PTA chief why the managements of Facebook and Twitter did not set up their offices in Pakistan yet. Referring to a recent statement of Facebook management about suspension of several accounts and pages of Pakistani users, Afridi asked what action had been taken by the PTA ag
ainst the Facebook team.
Chairman KC said why the Facebook team had refused to turn up in the Kashmir Committee meeting and directed PTA to ensure that Facebook representative must attend the next meeting of the Committee.
Chairman PTA said that PTA was engaging with Facebook management and would do whatever it takes to protect the rights of the Pakistani and Kashmiri users in accordance with the Pakistani laws.
He said Pakistan had directed Facebook management to set up its office in Pakistan.
Chairman Kashmir Committee She
hryar Khan Afridi argued how Facebook management was not adhering to the directives of a country with 220 million population and how can any company violate basic rights of over 220 million people. Afridi said why PTA had failed to tak
e action ag
ainst Facebook management and why the Facebook was not b
locked in Pakistan if it fails to comply with the directions of Government of Pakistan.
Khurram Dastagir MNA said that Pakistan needed to form a new law to help social media companies comply with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan.