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Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Additional session judge suspends order banning YouTube channels
Listen to article Islamabad Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka suspended on Friday a local court's order banning 27 YouTube channels run by different prominent Pakistani journalists and content creators. Ruling on a plea filed by the newly formed National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, Islamabad Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah had ordered the ban based on alleged anti-state content, defamation and misinformation targeting judicial figures. Asad Toor, whose account was among those blocked, took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the suspension of ban. 🚨🚨#BREAKING: In a big victory, Additional session judge Afzal Majoka 'SUSPENDS' judicial magistrate Abbas Shah order to @YouTube ban youtube channels Asad Toor UNCENSORED and @Matiullahjan919 MJtv. We are honoured to represented by @riasataliazad24, @zainabjanjua1,… — Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) July 11, 2025 The legal challenge against the ban is being led by lawyers, Riasat Ali Azad, Zainab Janjua, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, advocates Hadiali, Jamal and Farrukh Jillani. Digital rights advocate Farieha Aziz is also part of the legal effort. The NCCIA had launched an inquiry into the matter on June 2 with the approval of the competent authority. Sub-Inspector Waseem Khan of the Cyber Crime Reporting Centre of NCCIA's informed the local court on June 24 that the agency was investigating several YouTube channels involved in spreading "false, defamatory, and fake" content against state institutions and their officials. "[This propaganda] is likely to cause fear, panic, disorder and unrest in the general public or society with defamatory and fake remarks. [This also] violates the privacy and harms the dignity of the officials of the state institutions," NCCIA contended. Read: Court orders blocking 27 YouTube channels In its order, the court noted that after examining the facts and evidence presented by the NCCIA inquiry officer, it was convinced that the channels were committing offences under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 and penal laws in the country. "The head/office in-charge of the Security Department/Custodian of Records to Google LLC, D/A/B YouTube 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066 USA is therefore directed to block/remove the said YouTube channel," the order noted. Increasing scrutiny The order was the latest in a series of laws and regulations from Islamabad that have enabled the authorities to crack down on critics and dissidents. It has blocked social media platforms like X, Facebook and TikTok on several occasions in the past. In January, the parliament introduced a new amendment to PECA to further regulate cyber content, which included a new social media regulatory authority with its own investigation agency and tribunals. Such tribunals will be able to try and punish alleged offenders with prison sentences of as long as three years and fines of two million rupees ($7,200) for dissemination of information deemed "false or fake". Similar laws to order the removal of disputed content have also been introduced in neighbouring India, which has had disagreements with X and Google over such directives. In recent years, India has banned dozens of YouTube channels citing national security. Digital rights activist Usama Khilji said the Pakistani court did not fulfil due process. "What is jarring is the complete lack of legal process," he said. Toor said neither the court nor the cyber crime agency gave him a chance to respond to the allegations, and that he would be taking legal action against the court order. "It is a dictatorial move. It can't silence me," he said.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Court orders blocking of 27 YouTube channels
ISLAMABAD: A local court on Tuesday ordered the blocking of 27 YouTube channels for their alleged involvement in disseminating and propagating fake and misleading information against the state institutions. Judicial magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah, hearing a National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA)'s petition, ordered the blocking of 27 local YouTube channels. According to the two-page written order, the enquiry officer of the police station Cyber Crime Circle Islamabad (CCCI), of the NCCIA has approached the court under Section 94 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), 1898 and stated that during the course of inquiry evidence regarding 27 YouTube channels it came on record the channels are involved in publicly disseminating/ propagating false, misleading and fake information against the state institutions/officials. The order says that in the light of facts explained and evidence presented by the enquiry officer, this court is convinced that the subject matter constitutes offences punishable under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Penal Laws of Pakistan. The head/officer incharge of the security department/custodian of records to Google LLC, D/B/A YouTube 901 Cheery Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA, is therefore directed to block/remove the 27 channels. The list of channels ordered to be blocked includes those operated byHaider Mehdi, Siddique Jaan, Sabee Kazmi, Orya Maqbool Jan, Arzoo Kazmi, Rana Uzair Speaks, Sajid Gondal, Habib Akram, Matiullah Jan MJtv, Asad Toor Uncensored, Imran Riaz Khan,Sabir Shakir, Imran Khan, Aftab Iqbal, Abdul Qadir, Wajahat Saeed Khan, Ahmad Noorani Youtube, Nazar Chohan Youtube, Moeed Pirzada Youtube, Makhdoom Shahabud Din, and Shayan Ali. The court also ordered blocking of channel namely, Charsadda Journalist, Naya Pakistan, Daily Qudrat, Real Entertainment TV, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and Naila Pakistani Reaction. The petition field by the NCCIA is conducting an inquiry with the approval of the competent authority regarding Youtube channels who are involved in disseminating and propagating fake and misleading information against the state institutions which is likely to cause fear, panic, disorder or unrest in the general public or society along with defamatory and fake remarks/information, which violates the privacy and harms the dignity of the officials of state institutions. It says that the said YouTube channels are found involved in sharing highly intimidating, provocative and derogatory contents against state institutions and officials of state of Pakistan. The said YouTube channels are a source of publicly disseminating/propagating false, misleading and fake information against the state institutions/officials. Through these channels, the accused attempted to provoke the general public and armed forces personnel by trying to create a feeling of ill-will among pillars of the state, it says. It says that during the enquiry it came on the record that these YouTube channels are involved in publicly disseminating/propagating false, misleading and fake information against the state institutions/officials, it says. The subpoena/warrant may kindly be issued to 'Google LLC, D/B/A YouTube 901 Cheery Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066 USA' for removal/blocking of the 27 channels, the court's order says. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Court orders blocking 27 YouTube channels
A local court in the federal capital has ordered blocking of 27 YouTube channelsall run by Pakistani journalists and content creatorsin view of their alleged anti-state content. Islamabad Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah issued a two-page order after hearing a request filed by the newly formed National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The NCCIA had contended that the channels were involved in propagating false and misleading information against state institutions. The channels include those run by renowned journalists such as Orya Maqbool Jan, Aftab Iqbal, Mutiullah Jan, Imran Khan Riaz and Asad Toor. "[This propaganda] is likely to cause fear, panic, disorder and unrest in the general public or society with defamatory and fake remarks. [This also] violates the privacy and harms the dignity of the officials of the state institutions," it added. According to the NCCIA, through these channels, the content creators attempted to provoke the general public and armed forces personnel by trying to create a feeling of ill-will among the pillars of state. In its order, the court noted that after examining the facts and evidence presented by the NCCIA inquiry officer, the court was convinced that the channels were committing offences under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016 and penal laws in the country. "The head/office in-charge of the Security Department/Custodian of Records to Google LLC, D/A/B YouTube 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066 USA is therefore directed to block/remove the said YouTube channel," the order noted.
