- Official petition urges TikTok ban in Pakistan, submitted to Lahore High Court.
- Petitioner Rana Usman Anwar argues TikTok’s inappropriate content harms youth.
- Article 5 of Constitution cited, TikTok’s fate awaits Lahore High Court decision.
A recent development involves the submission of an official constitutional petition to the Lahore High Court (LHC), calling for the ban of the widely used social media platform, TikTok, within Pakistan. This is not the first instance of such a request being made to the LHC.
The petitioner, Rana Usman Anwar, represented by Advocate Sohail Ahmad Shaikh, asserts that TikTok’s proliferation of inappropriate content is having a negative impact on the country’s youth.
The petition identifies the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the federal government as respondents in the case.
At the core of the petitioner’s concerns is the consistent influx of unsuitable material on TikTok, which they argue is undermining the moral values of young individuals. Regrettably, the petition also highlights cases where lives have been lost in the pursuit of creating TikTok videos.
The petition cites Article 5 of the Constitution, emphasizing the obligation of every citizen to show loyalty to the state. It points out that several countries have chosen to limit TikTok due to similar apprehensions.
Significantly, TikTok has faced periodic and short-lived bans in Pakistan for various reasons over time. Whether this latest petition will achieve its intended outcome remains uncertain, given that previous attempts have not met success. The future of TikTok in Pakistan now hinges on the decision of the Lahore High Court.