PTA Bans Bloomberg, Alibaba, Buzzfeed and Other Popular Websites

Update:

All websites are now accessible again in Pakistan.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has reportedly blocked several popular websites for hosting ‘unethical’ content.

It has been a week since PTA directed ISPs to block access to these websites, among thousands of others. But, the authority has failed to provide a satisfactory reason for the move.

When inquired about it, a PTA official said that these sites were hosting ‘improper & unethical’ content, without describing the terms.

Among the blocked websites were Alibaba.com – an online shopping platform, Bloomberg.com – a news platform with a special focus on business and markets, buzzfeed.com – a popular media and entertainment website.

Users of Zong, Ufone, Telenor, and Jazz faced difficulty in accessing the mentioned sites.

Interestingly, most representatives within the mobile phone industry were unaware and equally surprised to learn that these sites have been inaccessible in the country for over a week.

While some suggested to clear the internet history or restarting devices, others were merely clueless about it.

A Telenor official believed that the sites were restricted at the source.

Users, on the other hand, were dejected on unannounced censorship on popular websites.

“At first, I thought there was something wrong with my mobile phone. But then I could not access Buzzfeed at home for four days either,” said Nida Abbasi, who visits the entertainment website frequently.

Shehryar Saeed, a frequent user of Alibaba, also had the same complaint. He keeps visiting the site to buy toys for his children. “I wanted to buy some toys for my children this Eid, but I have been denied access to the portal since May 26.”

PTA had officially denied blocking these websites on Saturday, but its technical support has confirmed receiving orders from the management in this regard.

“The directions come from the Ministry of Interior, which also identifies objectionable or controversial content posted on a particular website and tells the PTA to block it,” a member of PTCL’s technical support team said.

Besides, several thousand other websites are also on the block list along with these sites. It must be mentioned here that popular encrypted messaging app and WhatsApp competitor, Telegram, has also been banned in Pakistan for nearly two years.

Via: Dawn


    • Daraz.pk is more like landa.pk sellers sending used , expired , broken items.

      • Daraz will not be banned. Yahan PTA taraf jo koi ban kar raha wo contents nahi istemal dekh kar sochta hay. kisko ban karna aur kisko nahi.

        Telegram kafi arsa say banned hay,
        WhatsApp Facebook banned nahi

        Hata kay WhatsApp Facebook per telegram say zayada gund hay. WhatsApp Pakistani sarkari daftar khud jo istemal kartay hain stupid app.

  • “Shehryar Saeed, a frequent user of Alibaba, also had the same complaint. He keeps visiting the site to buy toys for his children. “I wanted to buy some toys for my children this Eid, but I have been denied access to the portal since May 26.””

    Alibaba say puchase kar rahai tahy to kia apnai buchai kai liai bulk main lay rahi thai?

    • gsmarena is fine, truecaller having issues registering. already registered is fine.

      • Try using VPN. True caller was blocked nationally. Wasn’t working on cellular internet or broadband. Worked when i used VPN

  • It should be informed first to the users and many of us have already ordered products from these websites. In this way now the vendors would have a reason not to deliver

    • aliexpress.com working fine here.i think propakistani didn’t check before posting the news.

  • Even Archive.org (which is basically an internet library, and a very helpful one) is also blocked. Shows this message:

    “This website is not accessible.

    The site you are trying to access contains content that is prohibited for viewership from within Pakistan.”

    Shameful. These silent and stupid censorships without even any notifications must stop now. Enough is enough. If somebody pays for internet, they have the right to access whatever they want.

  • All above mentioned website, AliBaba, Buzzfeed, Bloomberg working fine. I have checked using three different source of internet !

  • RIP PTA

    Ye Sub Chal Raha hai MyHome Net Pe :

    Without VPN I Can Using All WebSites Which Are Not Using in PTCL Services :

    RIP PTA IT SERVICES

  • It’s called ads which are based on user’s history. If someone like Interior Minister has seen such content which was obviously an ad and based on device which interior Minister used then for sure we need to change our Illiterate Interior Minister before he starts blamming others of his/her inappropriate browsing history…

    • Thanks man for telling these people! I never thought I willfound someone here with atleast fundamental computer knowledge

      • Thanks brother… Yes it is fundamental internet knowledge but yet we lack it… We need awareness about internet much more because our network companies are worst thugs which just give us few mb bandwidth saying that it’s 3G or 4G. It is only because our majority doesn’t know much about this stuff…

  • Flippa.com also not working my only source of income is flippa im really upset about this un professional act by the pak govt.

  • Why the heck they blocked archive.org? I mean what’s wrong with that? shit heads cant differentiate between right and wrong.


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