WASHINGTON: US top diplomat for South Asia Alice Wells has expressed concerns over the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) government’s new social media policy, saying “new restrictions could be a setback to freedom of expression and development of digital economy”. It will be the government’s prerogative to identify objectionable content to the social media platforms to be taken down. In case of failure to comply within 15 days, it will have the power to suspend digital media companies’ services or impose a fine worth up to Rs500 million. New restrictions on social media platforms in #Pakistan could be setback to freedom of expression & development of digital econ. The US diplomat’s statement comes a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had issued notice to the federation, and law, information and technology ministries in a petition challenging social media policy.

Source: Pakistan Today February 25, 2020 16:03 UTC