PTA rejects reports of TikTok ban in Pakistan

TikTok has faced multiple bans and suspensions in Pakistan since October 2020 over concerns about content deemed indecent and immoral by authorities.

The platform was first banned in October 2020, but access was restored 10 days later after TikTok assured the PTA that it would block accounts involved in spreading obscene content.

In March 2021, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) ordered a ban on the application, which was subsequently lifted in April.

The Sindh High Court also directed the PTA in June 2021 to suspend access to TikTok over concerns about immoral and obscene content. The suspension was lifted three days later.

The PTA blocked the platform again in July 2021 over its failure to remove inappropriate content.

In August 2021, the Islamabad High Court questioned the regulator's authority to impose a blanket ban on TikTok, observing that the same reasoning could be applied to other digital platforms, including Google and YouTube.

The court directed the PTA to consult the government and develop a mechanism to address such issues.