Islamabad:
The Additional Sessions Judge of Islamabad, AFZAL MAJOKA, suspended on Friday an order of the local court that prohibits 27 YouTube channels led by different journalists and creators of prominent Pakistani content.
The judge was listening to a statement filed against the prohibition. The legal challenge was led by several lawyers, including Riasat Ali Azad, Zainab Janjua, Imaan Mazari and Farrukh Jillani.
On July 8, Judicial Magistrate of Islamabad, on July 8 issued a two -page order that prohibits 27 YouTube channels after listening to a request submitted by the newly formed National Agency for Cyber Crime Research (NCCIA).
The NCCIA had argued that the channels were involved in the spread of false and misleading information against state institutions. The channels included those led by renowned journalists such as Orya Maqbool Jan, Actab Iqbal, Mutiullah Jan and Imran Khan Riaz and Asad Toor.
“[This propaganda] It is likely that it causes fear, panic, disorder and disturbances in the general public or society with defamatory and false comments. [This also] It violates privacy and damages the dignity of state institutions officials, “he added.
According to the Nccia, through these channels, content creators tried to cause public staff in general and the armed forces trying to create a feeling of bad will between the pillars of the State.
In its order, the Court indicated that after examining the facts and evidence presented by the Nccia investigation officer, the court was convinced that the channels were committing crimes under the Law of Electronic Crime Prevention (PCA), 2016 and the criminal laws in the country.
“The boss/office in charge of the Department of Security/Custodian of records to Google LLC, D/A/B YouTube 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066 USA, therefore, is aimed at blocking/eliminating said YouTube channel,” said the order.
Asad Toor, whose account was among those blocked, led X to confirm the suspension of the ban.
The order was the last of a series of laws and regulations of Islamabad that have allowed the authorities to take energetic measures against critics and dissidents. He has blocked social media platforms such as X, Facebook and Tiktok on several occasions in the past.
In January, Parliament introduced a new amendment to Peca to further regulate the cyber content, which included a new regulatory authority of social networks with its own investigation agency and courts.
Toor said that neither the Court nor the Cyber Crime Agency gave him the opportunity to respond to the accusations, and that he would be taking legal measures against the court order. “It’s a dictatorial movement. He can’t silence me,” he said.
