PTA, religious scholars meet in joint effort to foster safe use of social media

• Prominent religious scholars attend meeting at PTA headquarters.
• Open-floor discussion, recommendation session held during meeting.
• Scholars reassure their full cooperation and support to regulator.

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to foster safe and responsible use of the internet and social media, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) organised a meeting with the prominent religious scholars of the country at its headquarters in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The meeting marked a collaborative effort between the PTA and religious leaders to address the challenges of social media and the internet while promoting a digital environment that aligns with cultural and religious values.

Islamic scholars from various schools of thought including Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz, Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Moulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, and Maulana Tariq Jameel among others attended the meeting, alongside senior PTA officers.

The event commenced with a welcome note from PTA's Web Analysis Division (WAD) director-general who provided an overview of PTA's initiatives.

PTA Chairman Maj General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman while addressing the audience, highlighted the pivotal role of religious scholars in guiding the masses toward ethical and responsible internet usage. He emphasised the potential for an even greater impact if the scholars lend their support to PTA through their own platforms.

An open-floor discussion and recommendation session provided a platform for active engagement and dialogue.

Key highlights of the meeting included a strong emphasis on educating the youth about responsible social media and internet usage, especially the critical role of parents in educating their children.

The teachings of the Holy Quran and Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) were also highlighted as a guiding light in this endeavour.

Recognising the gravity of online threats such as anti-state, blasphemous and hate speech online, the meeting stressed that addressing them is the collective responsibility of the state, judiciary, PTA, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the Federal Investigation Agency, and everyone else.

The scholars expressed their appreciation for PTA's commitment and efforts in promoting safe and responsible internet usage and reassured their full cooperation and support to the regulator. This meeting marks the beginning of a series, towards collaborative efforts with respected Ulema to combat harmful and unlawful online content.