PTA orders restoration of Twitter, Facebook, other social networking websites

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The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Sunday evening announced the restoration of social networking websites across the country.

Websites including Twitter and Facebook were suspended on orders of the government on Saturday.

Earlier in the evening, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) restored news channels across the country. Cable operators had been instructed on Saturday to take all news channels off air.

The regulatory body, prior to its decision to take news channels off air, had directed media houses to ensure the security of their staff while the tense security situation persisted across the country.

The PEMRA had earlier barred media from live coverage of the Islamabad Operation under the Media Code of Conduct 2015.

In a press release, the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) strongly condemned the unilateral closure of news channels by the government. The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) expressed concern over the sudden closure of television channels and their transmission

Protesters renewed violence early Sunday morning as they resorted to arson and pelted stones at police, a day after authorities commenced an operation to clear Faizabad Interchange of the sit-in that had paralysed the federal capital for weeks.

The protesters began pelting stones at policemen and set fire to five motorcycles and a car belonging to the police near I-8 sector earlier today, police said.

On Saturday, a protester was killed while over 250 people including 90 policemen and FC personnel, as protests, took a violent turn in the capital. Around 8,000 security officials took part in the operation aimed at dispersing the protesters with the help of tear gas and water cannons.