Pakistan top court lifts ban on popular video-sharing platform TikTok

A top Pakistani court on Friday withdrew its earlier decision to ban the popular Chinese short video-sharing platform TikTok for spreading immorality in the country.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on June 28 had asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the telecom regulator, to suspend the TikTok app on the complaint by a citizen regarding "immorality and obscenity" on the mobile app.

During a hearing on Friday, the PTA informed that access to the app was already blocked by it but it also requested the court to review its decision and allow it to restore the services.

The high court accepted the plea to lift the ban but it asked the PTA to expedite the process on the petitioner's request and issue a ruling by July 5.

PTA representatives assured the court that the appeal, seeking removal of 'objectionable content', will be decided upon by the court by the given date.

The court adjourned to meet again on Monday when the PTA would share the decision it made to address the concern of the petitioner so that indecent content on the app were not uploaded.

It was for the second time that the app has been banned this year after its suspension in March by the Peshawar High Court (PHC), which had taken action on a petition filed by several citizens.

However, the PHC after a few weeks lifted the ban by asking the PTA to take measures so that no "immoral content" was uploaded. Last year in October, the PTA for the first time banned TikTok after receiving complaints regarding indecent and immoral content but lifted the ban after just 10 days.

Then the app assured the PTA that it would operate as per local laws to ensure that no indecent content was uploaded.