Islamabad: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will collaborate with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to promote a safe, secure and productive online environment for children, the telecommunication regulator has said.
The PTA said in a statement on Wednesday that the collaboration between the two sides aims to prevent and report incidents of online child abuse and encourage responsible internet usage among children, caregivers and educators through awareness and capacity-building efforts.
Chairman of the PTA Muhammad Naveed said the telecommunication regulator is determined to provide a secure and risk-free digital environment for children in Pakistan.
“UNICEF’s strong network with child protection stakeholders will pave way for better reporting of child online abuse cases to the PTA and subsequent removal of objectionable content from the internet,” added the official.
The cooperation would generate evidence, strategy development, and awareness on online child abuse and exploitation, the PTA said in the statement, adding it has already started a toll-free emergency helpline for free reporting of the incidents.
Abdullah Fadil, the UNICEF representative in Pakistan, emphasized the importance of collaboration and pledged full cooperation to implement the agreed activities.
