Facebook rejects Pakistan request for cell phone link-up

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published July 16, 2017

ISLAMABAD – Facebook has dismissed a Pakistan government request to link all accounts to individual phone numbers, calling it "improbable", the media reported.

"Pakistan had suggested that Facebook accounts be linked with users' mobile phone numbers. However, the management of Facebook believed it was more feasible to sync accounts with email addresses," a senior official from the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) told DawnNews on Saturday.

The official explained that the purpose of the request turned down by Facebook, was to help the government deal with fake accounts, which were often used to spread hate material online.

Last week, Ministry of IT Secretary Rizwan Bashir told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology that the government had suggested that Facebook sync users' accounts with mobile phone numbers.

However, he told DawnNews that Facebook maintained that the policy for creating new accounts would remain unchanged.

But the social media giant did respond positively to Pakistan's request to block blasphemous content and other hate material posted by users.

"Facebook assured us they would look into the government's concerns on a priority basis after assessing the situation," the official added.

Last week, Vice President of Facebook Joel Kaplan met Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to discuss ways to remove hateful, provocative and blasphemous content from the website.

Facebook has over 33 million users in Pakistan. - Agencies

Even a win can't hide Pakistan's structural collapse in cricket

 June 11, 2025:  Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.

Journalists stage walkout at post-budget briefing over government's dismissive attitude

 June 11, 2025:  Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.

Legal storm brews as Dr. Nauman Niaz serves defamation notice on Shoaib Akhtar

 May 31, 2025:  Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.

HRCP urges complete repeal of PECA, citing threats to free speech and civil liberties

 May 30, 2025:  The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.

PFUJ condemns murder of journalist Syed Mohammad Shah, urges immediate justice

 May 30, 2025:  The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.

State within a state? Police block reinstated Jang employees from resuming duties

 May 26, 2025:  In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.

PFUJ slams Jang Group's 'economic massacre' after mass firing of over 80 workers

 May 25, 2025:  PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.

Labor rights trampled: Daily Jang defies court, terminates over 80 employees

 May 25, 2025:  Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.