A meeting of the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs was held today under the Chairmanship of Mr. Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, MNA, in Committee Room No. 7 (4th Floor), Parliament House, Islamabad.

 

2. The Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs received detailed briefings from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) regarding their ongoing crackdown on websites involved in the dissemination of blasphemous content.

 

3. The Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) apprised the Committee that the PTA drive its mandate under section 37 (1) of PECA Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. In order to fulfill the given mandate, PTA has developed multiple complaint lodging mechanisms for the general public as well as the government organizations to lodge complaints as per their domains and scope of work. A dedicated email for reporting of blasphemous content is also established and publicized through newspapers and digital media. A Technical System is also being used to block objectionable content over the internet. The system is being used to block web content, including applications related to blasphemy, gambling, pornography, and anti-state content. Based on the complaints received and proactive approach, PTA has blocked 105296 URLs related to the blasphemous category uploaded on different websites, apps, and social media platforms.

 

4. The Additional Director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) briefed the Committee that NCCIA is actively combating the dissemination of blasphemous content online. The efforts encompass detection, legal action, and policy recommendations to curb such activities. The Agency has apprehended numerous individuals notably, 12 individuals have received convictions from trial courts. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) works in conjunction with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block or remove content deemed blasphemous. For instance, in 2021-2024, 1314 accounts were blocked for containing blasphemous material. To enhance enforcement, the FIA has set up Anti-Blasphemy Cells within its 15 Cyber Crime units nationwide. These cells act promptly upon receiving reports, utilizing cybercrime technology to trace and apprehend offenders. ​

 

 

5. During the meeting, the Chairman emphasized that there must be zero tolerance for blasphemy, particularly against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and called for strict and decisive action against those responsible. The Committee also unanimously agreed that any form of disrespect or disregard toward Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is absolutely unacceptable and must be addressed with firm resolve. Furthermore, the Committee emphasized that the protection of minority communities is equally important and should be ensured with the same vigor and seriousness.

 

6. The Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs briefed the Committee on the integration process of the provincial grievance redressal systems-including those of AJ&K and Gilgit-Baltistan-with the Prime Minister's Citizen Portal (PCP). This integration is intended to improve coordination, streamline complaint resolution, and establish a unified, transparent, and efficient mechanism.

 

7. The meeting was attended by MNAs, Raja Qamar-ul-Islam, Ch. Mahmood Bashir Virk, Mr. Saad Waseem, Ms. Muneeba Iqbal, Syed Ali Musa Gilani, Ms. Izbal Zehri, Mr. Naveed Aamir, Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Sahibzada Sibghatullah, Mr. Mujahid Ali and Mr. Ali Muhammad. Secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and senior officers of NCCIA also attended the meeting.