Satire portal blocked in Pakistan

A Pakistani satirical publication Khabaristan Times on Monday announced its website has been blocked by the authorities.

In a statement posted to its official Facebook page, the portal said the website had been blocked since January 25.

"There hasn't been any official notification from any regulatory authority regarding the website being banned," it said, adding that it cannot be accessed anywhere in Pakistan.

The website does, however, appear to be available to users outside Pakistan.

According to sources in the telecommunication regulatory authority, the website had been blocked after receiving complaints about "objectionable content".

A renowned satire and parody website, Khabaristan Times has amassed a loyal social media following - 12,156 likes on Facebook - with its tongue-in-cheek commentary on Pakistani politics and the military.

The move comes in the backdrop of disappearances of social media activists earlier this month.

Pakistan was routinely ranked among the world's most dangerous countries for journalists, and reporting critical of security policies is considered a major red flag, with reporters at times detained, beaten and even killed.

--IANS

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