Senators Grill PTA Over Sindhi-Targeting Content But the Real Problem Is Selective PECA Enforcement

Pakistan’s telecom regulator faced tough questioning on Monday as the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges scrutinized the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) response to online content targeting the Sindhi community. The briefing, based on PTA’s latest compliance report, reignited concerns about the pace and effectiveness of the regulator’s actions, especially amid growing criticism of selective PECA enforcement under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

Committee Questions PTA’s Handling of Ethnic Hate Content

During the meeting, lawmakers pressed PTA officials on what they described as a sluggish and inconsistent response to harmful online material. The case under review involved offensive content circulated by YouTuber Rizwan Razi, which triggered complaints about hate speech directed at Sindhis.

PTA told the Senate panel that it had identified 23 URLs carrying the content. Of these:

• 12 URLs have been blocked by the regulator

• 7 URLs were removed voluntarily by the platforms

• 4 URLs remain under process

The authority added that the original video had already been edited by the publisher, removing the objectionable segments. This, PTA said, made channel-level blocking legally non-viable, as action must adhere strictly to the scope defined under PECA.

PTA Cites Legal Limits Under Section 37 of PECA

Clarifying its mandate, PTA reiterated that Section 37 of PECA empowers it only to block or remove unlawful online content. The law does not authorize the regulator to investigate, prosecute, or pursue criminal penalties. Any such action, PTA stressed, must be initiated through appropriate legal forums.

Officials told the Committee that the regulator had taken “all possible technical measures” allowed under its jurisdiction and continues to coordinate with platforms to expedite removals.

Senators Call for Stronger Enforcement and Faster Action

Members of the Senate Committee expressed dissatisfaction with what they viewed as a narrow and conservative interpretation of PTA’s role. Several lawmakers urged the authority to take a more proactive approach to digital hate speech, especially when ethnic groups are targeted.

Senators highlighted the increasing weaponization of online platforms to harass or malign communities, noting that slow enforcement enables viral spread and deepens divisions. They stressed the importance of ensuring that minority and ethnic groups feel protected in the digital space.

A Debate That Misses the Real Issue

The Senate Committee’s demand for PTA to “broaden its role” reveals a deeper disconnect about how digital regulation actually works in Pakistan. PTA’s jurisdiction is clearly defined under the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996, the Telecom Rules, and Section 37 of PECA. Its mandate is limited to ensuring fair practices by telecom operators and blocking or removing unlawful online content, not investigating crimes, arresting individuals, or initiating prosecutions.

If lawmakers believe this framework is inadequate, then the solution lies in updating the telecom laws and PECA, not in pressuring the regulator to exceed its legal boundaries. As senators, they should already understand how statutory limits work and more importantly, how laws are amended. Asking PTA to perform functions it is not authorized to carry out only highlights the lack of clarity at the policy level.

A second contradiction is equally troubling. In recent years, several journalists, activists, and even ordinary citizens have been detained, sometimes even before an FIR is formally registered, for comments deemed critical of the government or state institutions. Yet in this case, where offensive remarks targeted an entire ethnic community, no such urgency was shown. Instead of only questioning PTA, senators could have asked the government why no legal action has been taken against Rizwan Razi for content that hurt the sentiments of a community and undermined social cohesion.

This selective application of PECA exposes a broader pattern: the law is often wielded as a tool to silence dissent, rather than to consistently protect citizens from genuine harm, harassment, or hate speech. The current episode is yet another reminder that Pakistan’s digital governance challenges stem not only from technical limitations but also from inconsistent enforcement and political priorities.

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