By Zeeshan Mumtaz
ISLAMABAD: After the News reported in the media that Google has registered itself with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), multiple social media accounts and analysts wondered, if the multinational company Google had registered under the social media rules rolled out in the government of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government in 2021.
The Social Media rules 2021, created by the PTI government in 2021 sparked a controversy in the country on which the Islamabad High Court had recently directed the government of Pakistan to reconsider these 2021 social media rules.
However, the news about Google being registered under the 2021 social media rules is true.
Social media claim of Google
A social media user on 9 December 2022 wrote on its Twitter account that Google will be registering itself in Pakistan following Pakistan’s social media rules 2021.
Social media Inquiries Google
A Pakistani lawyer and digital rights activist Nighat Dad questioned Google in a Twitter thread about the terms and conditions Google is going to open its local offices as the 2021 Social Media rules have become controversial and the Islamabad High Court ordered the government to review the social media Rules 2021 in Parliament of Pakistan.
Fact amid social media rules
The Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication of Pakistan Amin ul Haque confirmed to the media that Google Asia Pacific Ltd registered with the SECP on 8 November 2022, under the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules enacted in 2021 by the Imran Khan-led government of PTI.
Federal Minister Amin ul Haque said that this is good news that Google has registered, in Pakistan and we are anticipating that Google will open its office in Pakistan soon.
Google also confirmed the opening of its office in Pakistan and stated that it has opened its liaison office in Pakistan to enhance products and services, to explore business opportunities, to provide technical assistance and to support Pakistan’s growing technological industry.
The spokesperson of SECP also confirmed that Google is registered as an international company in Pakistan under SECP act 2017.
Social Media Rules 2021
The 2021 Social Media Rules orders Social Media Companies, having more than 500,000 users, to open their office in the federal capital Islamabad.
Islamabad High Court (IHC) in May 2021 refers the 2021 social media Rules to the Parliament of Pakistan to reconsider them in the context of freedom of expression.
The IT Minister said that as per the orders of IHC, the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice of Pakistan has formed a Parliamentary committee to take all stakeholders on board before amending and reweaving the rules.
Google and Social Media Rules 2021
The digital rights activists present concerns that under the social media Rules 2021, a social media company or corporate sets up offices locally t will be required to provide useful information and data to investigation agencies of Pakistan.
On this concern, Pakistan’s minister of IT and Telecommunication said that Google still has to sign an agreement with the authorities of Pakistan and till now, the authorities have not asked Google to provide the user information.
Amin ul Haq further said that the Government of Pakistan wishes for the safety of all data of users and that user data should not be shared. When a Social Media company sets up an office in Pakistan, its data and information will surely be present in Pakistan, Amin ul Haq added.
All those things and factors against the religion, state, culture, and custom will definitely deliver to Google for their removal and blockage. Google did not respond to the media on the terms of the agreement with the Government of Pakistan.
