The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) temporarily suspended PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) in the country today.
The PTA said it received numerous complaints raising concerns about the addictive nature of the game. The PTA added that some of these complaints called the game a “waste of time” that posed a “serious negative impact” on the “physical and psychological health of children.” Numerous cases of suicide have been linked to the battle royale game, according to the PTA.
The Lahore High Court will be conducting a hearing on July 9. The court has asked the PTA to look into the complaints and “decide on the matter.” The PTA has released an email that can be used by the public to provide feedback regarding the effects of the game.
A Pakistani team, Free Style, is scheduled to participate in the PUBG Mobile World League (PMWL) East, which kicks off on July 10. It seems like the court’s decision on July 9 will determine whether the team will get to play in the league.
The developer, Tencent, hasn’t commented on the suspension yet.
The PTA didn’t say which version of the game has been suspended, though. Players could previously download PUBG PC, PUBG PC Lite, PUBG Mobile, and PUBG Mobile Lite in the country.
This isn’t the first time a country has banned the popular game. In the past, Nepal, Iraq, and Jordan have done the same. Jordan said the game had “negative effects” on players while Iraq called it “harmful to society,” which posed a “potential national security threat.”
