Islamabad, 17 Apr 2025: In a bold and decisive step, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has initiated a wide-scale crackdown on anti-state content circulating across social media platforms. This move targets individuals and groups promoting divisive narratives and extremist ideologies online.
Thousands of Extremist Videos Removed from TikTok
As part of this strategic operation, PTA officials have confirmed that more than 13,000 videos pushing extremist messaging have been eliminated from TikTok, a popular short-video sharing application. Furthermore, 3,941 TikTok links associated with banned entities were identified and subsequently blocked by the authority.
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Additional 13,017 Anti-Agency Videos Taken Down
Alongside these efforts, an extra 13,017 videos targeting Pakistan’s security institutions were discovered and deleted. These digital assets were part of a larger scheme aimed at disrupting public trust and sowing instability through misinformation.
Social Media Platforms Urged to Tackle Fake News After Jafar Express Tragedy
In the aftermath of the tragic Jafar Express attack, the PTA reached out to major social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, urging them to reinforce content moderation mechanisms and counter the rapid spread of false narratives and propaganda. During this effort, 1,342 URLs promoting misinformation were detected and flagged by the PTA for necessary action.
Accounts Linked to Balochistan Liberation Army Identified
According to the PTA spokesperson, several accounts linked to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were traced and are under strict surveillance. From March 11 to March 28, the authority ramped up its efforts to detect and neutralize anti-state elements operating online.
Over 113,000 Anti-State URLs Blocked So Far
In response to persistent reports from national security bodies, the PTA continues its tireless identification and takedown process. So far, the agency has blocked more than 113,000 URLs that were found to be propagating harmful, anti-state material.
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Terror Narratives Will Not Be Tolerated
Reaffirming its commitment, the PTA declared that it would never permit terrorism-linked content or anti-national rhetoric to flourish in the digital domain. “Crackdown on Anti-State Content will persist as long as threats remain,” the authority emphasized, ensuring that social media platforms cannot be misused to destabilize Pakistan.
