PTA Has Blocked About 1.58 Million URLs in Pakistan, X Acts on Under Half
PTA figures reported on 7 October 2026 show 1.58 million URLs blocked in Pakistan, 88.2%. See each platform's share, the reasons, and how to report a post.
PTA has sent about 1.79 million web links to social media companies for removal and about 1.58 million of them have been blocked, a rate of 88.2 per cent, according to PTA figures reported on 7 October 2026. PTA's own website, which runs to July 2026, shows 1.54 million blocked out of 1.73 million. X, formerly Twitter, acts on the smallest share of PTA's requests.
The new figures were reported on 7 October 2026 from a PTA document. That document is not on PTA's website yet. What PTA does publish is a summary table on its social media and online content page, with figures up to July 2026. We read that table on 9 October 2026 and set it beside the newer reported figures. The two line up closely, which suggests the reported numbers are an update of the same series.
What the new PTA figures say
PTA has processed 1,789,022 URLs, blocked 1,577,936, rejected 127,346 and still has 83,740 under review, according to the reported figures. A URL here means the address of a single post, video, page or account that PTA asked a platform to take down or block in Pakistan.
PTA keeps a database of about 1.5 million URLs and checks them again over time, according to the report. If a blocked link becomes reachable again, PTA follows it up with the platform. "Rejected" means the platform or PTA did not act on the request.
| Measure | PTA website, to July 2026 | Reported on 7 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| URLs processed | 1,726,303 | 1,789,022 |
| Blocked | 1,542,800 | 1,577,936 |
| Under review | 76,874 | 83,740 |
| Rejected | 106,629 | 127,346 |
| Blocking rate | 89.37% | 88.20% |
Between the two sets, PTA processed about 62,700 more URLs and about 35,100 more were blocked. Rejections rose by about 20,700. So the overall blocking rate slipped a little, from 89.4 to 88.2 per cent.
Which platforms act on PTA's requests
X, formerly Twitter, acts on the smallest share. It blocked 78,871 of 162,878 URLs in the reported figures, about 48 per cent. YouTube, TikTok and WhatsApp blocked between 87 and 91 per cent.
| Platform | URLs processed | Blocked | Share blocked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 311,699 | 244,981 | 78.6% | |
| TikTok | 208,268 | 184,686 | 88.7% |
| X (Twitter) | 162,878 | 78,871 | 48.4% |
| YouTube | 76,153 | 66,514 | 87.3% |
| 58,729 | 46,704 | 79.5% | |
| 55,414 | 50,165 | 90.5% | |
| Other websites | 900,222 | 891,772 | 99.1% |
The shares are our own sums from the reported counts. X's share was already the lowest in PTA's July table, at 51.67 per cent. PTA does not explain what the "other websites" line covers, but its rate is close to 100 per cent.
What the links were blocked for
Most of PTA's blocking is about decency and morality. In PTA's July 2026 table, that category alone had 1,075,762 URLs processed, more than 60 per cent of the total, and 99.06 per cent were blocked. The reported October figures do not give a category breakdown.
| Category (PTA, to July 2026) | Processed | Blocked |
|---|---|---|
| Decency and morality | 1,075,762 | 99.06% |
| Terrorism | 179,285 | 79.15% |
| Against glory of Islam | 136,891 | 82.17% |
| Against security and defence of Pakistan | 125,427 | 59.05% |
| Sectarian or hate speech | 76,526 | 68.96% |
| Defamation or impersonation | 44,200 | 39.27% |
Defamation and impersonation has the lowest rate, at 39.27 per cent. That matters to ordinary users, because a fake profile using your name or photos falls in this group. Platforms decide these cases under their own rules, and they reject more of them.
How PTA blocks content and what the law says
PTA acts on complaints and on its own monitoring, under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). Where the law allows, it asks the platform to remove content, or tells internet providers to block a site in Pakistan.
According to the report, PTA said it examines complaints under the applicable legal framework before acting. A block ordered in Pakistan does not remove the post for users abroad. For content hosted abroad, PTA depends on the platform agreeing.
What this means if you want something taken down
If someone has posted something unlawful about you, such as a fake profile, private photos or threats, you can report it to PTA. Report it to the platform first, then file with PTA with the exact links.
- Copy the exact URL of each post, video or profile, not just the account name.
- Take screenshots that show the date and the link.
- Report it on the platform using its own report button.
- File a complaint with PTA, attaching the URLs and screenshots.
- For threats, blackmail or fraud, also report it to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.
The form fields and the categories PTA accepts are set out in how to report unlawful online content to PTA. For complaints about your phone or internet service rather than content, use PTA's network complaint process instead.
Common questions
How many URLs has PTA blocked?
About 1.58 million out of 1.79 million processed, according to figures reported on 7 October 2026. PTA's website shows 1,542,800 blocked up to July 2026.
Which platform blocks the least content for PTA?
X, formerly Twitter. It blocked about 48 per cent of PTA's requests in the reported figures, the lowest of the major platforms.
Why are most URLs blocked?
For decency and morality. That category had more than 1 million of the 1.73 million URLs in PTA's table to July 2026.
Can I ask PTA to remove a fake profile?
Yes. Report it to the platform first, then file with PTA with the exact URL and screenshots. Platforms reject more impersonation cases than most.
Where does PTA publish these figures?
On its social media and online content information page, under Consumer Awareness. The table there runs to July 2026.
Does a PTA block work outside Pakistan?
No. A block by PTA stops access in Pakistan. Removal worldwide depends on the platform.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 9 October 2026. The figures to July 2026 come from PTA's social media and online content information page, read on 9 October 2026. The newer totals were reported on 7 October 2026 from a PTA document that we could not find on PTA's website, so they are marked as reported. The percentages by platform are our own sums from those counts.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
