ISLAMABAD.:\u00a0<\/strong>A popular social networking site has blocked live news streaming by Pakistan\u2019s national broadcaster over posts about Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) which has been under siege since August 5, 2019 after the Narendra Modi government unconstitutionally stripped the disputed region of its special status.<\/p>\n

Radio Pakistan accused Facebook of blocking live news bulletins by the Pakistan Broadcast Corporation (PBC) over its social media activity on \u201ccontinued atrocities, curfew and military lockdown\u201d in IOK.<\/p>\n

In a statement, the national broadcaster showed screenshots of Facebook\u2019s messages on some of the posts that it said went against standards on \u201cdangerous individuals and organisations\u201d.<\/p>\n

According\u00a0to officials, Facebook informed Radio Pakistan on Sunday of suspending its live news streaming for two months and with a warning that if the PBC did not abide by the social media giant\u2019s policy, the provision of posting and commenting on the popular site would be withdrawn for good.<\/p>\n

Radio Pakistan announced it has made temporary alternate arrangements on video-sharing site YouTube to continue the live streaming of its news bulletins.<\/p>\n

The move came weeks after popular microblogging site Twitter reportedly suspended hundreds of accounts operated by Pakistani users that posted content criticising human rights abuses in IOK.<\/p>\n

The accounts were reported to Twitter by India alleging that they were sharing \u201cpropaganda through false videos and images which claim to portray the current situation\u201d in IOK.<\/p>\n

At the time, Pakistani officials blamed the Indian staff at Twitter\u2019s regional headquarters for the move while announcing to take up the case with the social media giant.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0posts cited by Facebook for blocking live news streaming by Radio Pakistan commemorated two pro-freedom Kashmiri fighters \u2013 Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa \u2013\u00a0 killed in action during clashes with Indian forces.<\/p>\n

Wani, the young face of the freedom struggle in IOK, was martyred by Indian forces on July 8, 2016.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Imran Khan\u2019s aide on information and broadcasting described the Facebook move as violation of fundamental human rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we have seen, every time we try to highlight human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir on social media platforms, such as Facebook, the accounts are suspended,\u201d Firdous Ashiq Awan told the media in Islamabad on Monday.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, PM\u2019s Focal Person on Social Media Dr Arslan Khalid claimed that the issue has been resolved. \u201cAt 3pm I had a chat with the Facebook administration and by 5 or 6pm the matter was resolved,\u201d Khalid told The Express Tribune by the telephone.<\/p>\n

\u201cFacebook does not allow posts that glorify banned organisations,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Asked whether it was martyred Burhan Wani\u2019s post by Radio Pakistan that went against Facebook\u2019s policies, he said: \u201cThere was an objectionable picture.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2016, Facebook came under fire for censoring dozens of posts related to the death of Wani, which had sparked widespread protests in IOK, according to Britain\u2019s The Guardian newspaper.<\/p>\n

Images, videos and entire accounts of academics and journalists as well as pages of local newspapers were removed for posting about IOK.<\/p>\n

The Express Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n

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