In October 2020, the Pakistani government passed new internet regulationslinkthatbroaden censorship and authorize widespread surveillance of contentpublished online. These regulations called the Removal and Blocking ofUnlawful Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules 2020, put inplace rules for blocking of online content.
As soon as the regulation was passed Asian lobby group, The Asia InternetCoalition (AIC), wrote a letter to the Prime Minister Imran Khanlinkexpressingits alarm over the scope of the new law targeting internet companies. AICalso mentioned that it was not satisfied with the opaque process by whichthese rules were finalized and sought critical changes to the new rules.
According to the letter, the AIC was promised a consultation that neveroccurred. The members of the AIC that include Airbnb, Amazon, Apple,Expedia, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, LINE, Rakuten, Twitter, Yahoo!, andSAP believe that these new regulations would make it difficult for them tocontinue their operations in the country and will also deter any foreigninvestment.
[image: Image result for content blocking in pakistan]
Now, a few months after its first letter to PM Imran Khan, the AIC haswritten to Pakistani attorney general Khalid Jawed Khan as a friendlyreminder to frame a new content-blocking regime.
The current regulations allow members of the public and government officersto complain about online content on grounds including copyright abuse,blasphemy, invasion of privacy, or impersonation. However, AIC thinks thatthis rule is unworkable and has proposed some changes. These are:
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– Removal of fixed deadlines for content removal on account of lack of nuanced consideration of content and technical considerations. – Enforcement should only focus on systemic failure by AIC members. – Data localization (a requirement to operate offices in Pakistan) is not possible. – Data cannot be saved without encryption in Pakistan (regulations suggest otherwise).
Over the years Pakistan has blocked a lot of content that offendsintertwined social and religious sensibilities. However, lately, thecontent that criticizes the government has also been the cause for action.
We still don’t know how the Pakistani government plans on reworking theregulations. More details will be revealed soon.
