A petition seeking a ban on TikTok in Pakistan came up for hearing before the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday, with the petitioner arguing that objectionable content on the platform is contributing to moral and social deterioration in society.
The case was heard by a bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Farah Jamshed. During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Babar Shehzad Imran, contended that inappropriate videos shared on TikTok are negatively affecting social values and public behavior.
The court was informed that it had previously directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to submit a report regarding internet firewall-related matters. Representing the PTA, lawyer Jahanzeb Mehsud stated that the authority had already submitted the required report.
During the hearing, the PTA’s counsel explained that TikTok and other social media platforms rely on algorithms that continue to recommend similar content based on a user’s viewing habits. He said that while concerns may relate to specific types of content, selectively blocking such material remains a significant technical challenge.
The lawyer further told the court that the PTA is actively addressing complaints and has already blocked several accounts found to be in violation of relevant regulations.
Justice Ijaz Anwar observed that political content can be removed quickly when authorities seek its takedown and questioned why similar action could not be taken against objectionable content on social media platforms.
In response, the PTA’s counsel informed the court that a separate institution has now been established to oversee social media regulation. He said the newly formed Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority has been tasked with addressing issues related to online content and platform oversight.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that if effective regulation is not implemented, public protests could emerge over the issue. He requested that the newly established authority also be directed to submit its response before the court.
Accepting the request, the Peshawar High Court sought a report from the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority and adjourned further proceedings until a later date.
