Pakistani authorities spread text messages warning against blasphemy online

Pakistani lawmakers are calling for the implementation of a blasphemy law that would provide investigatory powers with means to take action against people who spread ‘sacrilegious’ content online. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has so far searched, identified, and blocked 12,968 websites in relation to blasphemy. In addition, millions of Pakistanis have been receiving text messages from the Pakistani government warning against blasphemous content, which state that ‘uploading & sharing of blasphemous content on Internet is a punishable offence under the law’ and that this content needs to be reported for legal action.