Wikipedia ban shows attempts by Pak authorities to restrict internet access

The Wikipedia ban in Pakistan shows the “inconsistent and recurring attempts by Pakistani authorities to restrict internet access, a concerning pattern that “undermines the country’s nascent knowledge economy,” Al Arabiya Post reported.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the media regulator of Pakistan, temporarily blocked access to Wikipedia over the presence of content that was considered insulting to Muslim sentiments, as per the news report. The people could not access Wikipedia for two days until Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued directives to restore it on February 6.

The ban on Wikipedia suggests that “Islamist groups and their radical ideologies continue to hold considerable sway in Pakistan, particularly on the matter of blasphemy,