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.
Declaging a statement filed by the newly formed National Agency for Cyber Crime Research, Islamabad Judicial Magistrate, Muhammad Abbas Shah, had ordered the prohibition based on the alleged anti-state content, defamation and erroneous information aimed at judicial figures.
Asad Toor, whose account was among those blocked, led to X (previously Twitter) to confirm the suspension of the ban.
The legal challenge against the ban is being directed by lawyers, Riasat Ali Azad, Zainab Janjua, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, defenders of Hadiali, Jamal and Farrukh Jillani. The Ombudsman Farieha Aziz is also part of the legal effort.
The Nccia had launched an investigation on the matter on June 2 with the approval of the competent authority.
Subinspector Waseem Khan, from the Cyber Crime Crime Report Center, informed the local court on June 24 that the agency was investigating several YouTube channels involved in the propagation of content “false, defamatory and false” against state institutions and their officials.
“[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 the officials of the state institutions, “said Nccia.
Read: Judicial orders block 27 YouTube channels
In his order, the Court indicated that after examining the facts and evidence presented by the NCCIA investigation officer, he was convinced that the channels were committing crimes under the Law of Electronic Crime Prevention (PCA), 2016 and 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.
Growing scrutiny
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.
These courts may try to punish the alleged criminals with prison sentences of up to three years and fines of two million rupees ($ 7,200) for the dissemination of information considered “false or false.”
Similar laws to order the elimination of dispute content have also been introduced into the Indian neighbor, which has had disagreements with X and Google in such directives. In recent years, India has banned dozens of YouTube channels by citing national security.
The Digital Rights Activist Usama Khilji said that the Pakistani court did not meet due process.
“What is discordant is the total lack of legal processes,” he said.
Toor said that neither the Court nor the agency of cyber crimes 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.
