Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah has admitted a petition filed against the recently enforced social media rules in Pakistan, for regular hearing, it was reported on Saturday. The petition was filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and was admitted on Friday by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Dawn news reported.

While the counsel for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Ahmar Bilal Soofi received the court notice after the very first hearing inside the courtroom, the deputy attorney general informed the court that the attorney general Khalid Jawed Khan will argue the case on the next date of hearing. Subsequently, further hearing in this matter has been adjourned till Dec 25According to the petition, the "Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2020", violate general principles prescribed by constitutional courts for the exercise of rule-making powers and enactment of subordinate legislation by the executive and regulatory authorities.

Under the new rules, social media companies will have to provide the designated investigation agency with any information or data in a decrypted, readable and comprehensible format. Subject to justifiable technical limitations, the information to be provided may include subscriber information, traffic data, content data and any other information or data.

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