PUBG ban: LHC defers hearing on unavailability of counsel

LAHORE: Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of the Lahore High Court on Monday deferred the hearing on a petition seeking a ban on the online game PUBG in Pakistan in wake of surging incidents of violence and killings committed by the game users.

At the outset of the hearing, it was told to the court that the petitioner’s counsel was unable to appear on account of some urgency. The judge accepted the request and adjourned the hearing.

Tanvir Sarwar, a citizen, in his plea before the court said that addiction to online gaming including PUBG was not a positive sign for young people’s physical and mental health.

The petitioner pointed out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2018 declared gaming addiction as a mental health disorder, adding that addiction to video games increases depression and anxiety levels among the players.

Read more: Petition seeking new ban on PUBG moved in LHC

He submitted that in a recent incident a young boy allegedly killed his mother and three siblings in the influence of the game.

The petitioner contended that the PUBG game had become a serious life and health threat to its players and their family members. He said if an immediate ban was not imposed on the game it would ruin the young generation.

He argued that inaction on part of the government functionaries to ban PUBG despite horrible incidents of killings was a violation of the Constitution. He said a ban needed to be imposed on the game at the earliest without further delay to protect the lives of the young generation.

He asked the court to impose an immediate ban on PUBG by blocking its access in Pakistan. The federal secretary law, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority had been made respondents in the petition.