Government of Pakistan allows access to recently launched country version of YouTube for Internet users

Islamabad, January 18, 2016 (PPI-OT): On the recommendation of PTA, Government of Pakistan has allowed access to recently launched country version of YouTube for Internet users in Pakistan. YouTube was previously blocked on the recommendation of the regulator i.e. PTA in order to fully comply with the order of the Honorable Supreme Court concerning blocking of the blasphemous movie “Innocence of Muslims” on YouTube and other websites in September 2012 as at that time it was not technically possible to block the offending material on YouTube without blocking the YouTube on IP level.

Recently, Google has launched a country (localized version) of YouTube (YouTube.pk) and confirmed that YouTube.pk does not contain any known copies of the blasphemous movie “Innocence of Muslims”. Moreover, in case any copy of the offending material appears on YouTube website in future, Google has provided an online web process through which requests for blocking access of the offending material can be made by PTA to Google directly and Google/YouTube will accordingly restrict access to the said offending material for users within Pakistan.

Earlier, on jan.16,2016, PTA had brought the above developments to the notice of the Honorable Supreme Court vide a report filed in continuation of its earlier compliance report filed with supreme court on 17.9.2012. Subsequently, PTA while withdrawing its earlier recommendations sent to Ministry of IT on 17.9.2012, also requested the Ministry of IT to review earlier directions. Ministry of IT in view of PTA’s withdrawal of its earlier request of blocking YouTube at IP level and considering the recent developments elaborated by PTA has accordingly allowed access to the country version of YouTube and has also directed PTA to ensure continuous compliance with the Supreme Court under the revised mechanism.

For more information, contact:
Haji Ahmed Malik
Principal Information Officer
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +92-51-9252323 and +92-51-9252324
Fax: +92-51-9252325 and +92-51-9252326
Email: piopid@gmail.com