PM orders immediate shutdown of Youtube services
“Access denied” error message is displayed upon logging on to Youtube in Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minsiter Raja Pervez Ashraf has ordered immediate shutdown of video-sharing website Youtube in the aftermath of protests against anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims,” which is still available on the website, DawnNews reported on Monday.
In a directive issued to the Ministry of Information Technology, the PM stated that the decision was taken after Youtube decided against removing the film and the shutdown will remain effective until the website removes all content from the sacrilegious film.
In a statement released last week, Youtube said it would not remove the film as it does not violate its terms of use, despite pressure from the White House to review its decision.
At the filing of this report (2045PST) the website still remained accessible in Pakistan.
Protests against the film have broken out all across the Muslim world and have spread over Pakistan in the last few days, with one person being killed in violent protests on Monday.
While Youtube has not removed the controversial clip, it has blocked access to it in countries where violent protests have remained unabated. These include Libya, Egypt and most recently, India and Indonesia.
YouTube cited “very sensitive situations” in those two countries.
In its Friday statement, YouTube said that outside of Libya, Egypt, India and Indonesia, the video will remain on its website.
“We work hard to create a community everyone can enjoy and which also enables people to express different opinions,” the YouTube statement said.
“This can be a challenge because what’s OK in one country can be offensive elsewhere. This video – which is widely available on the web – is clearly within our guidelines and so will stay on YouTube. However, we’ve restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such as India and Indonesia as well as in Libya and Egypt, given the very sensitive situations in these two countries. This approach is entirely consistent with principles we first laid out in 2007.”
Interior Minister Rehman Malik later on, while speaking at a press conference, said that a letter will written to the OIC chairman regarding the matter as well as the Secretary Interpol.
good desicion @ Mr Prime Minister
Finally !
Good Job. These pathetic people (who did this heinous act) are so sick that they don’t even know what they are doing whether they are “film” makers or youtube’s insensible authorities. Curse you western freedom of expression!!!.
Love of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) is now more than ever may peace be upon his soul. Allahumma Salli Ala Muhammad.
This is the step we have been waiting for a long time. you tube must be banned in Pakistan and other Muslim countries until it removes all its pages related to blasphemous material. I am sure if all the Muslim world bans you tube for a week they would remove this movie from their website for ever and learn that Muslims can go to any extend for their religion and their beloved prophet (peace be upon him).
Pakistan and its leaders never fail to shoot themselves in their feet. Youtube has many educational programs like Khan’s Academy for math ,finance and science tutorials , medical procedures tutorials and other educational and entertainment videos.
One should completely ignore the non sense and distractions which enemies of Islam and Muslims want us to be trapped into.
We should be smart enough to understand their traps and give them no chance to distract us.
i dont understand why our demonstrators act violently during demonstarations and destroy public and private property? The police should not be silent spectators and should have a zero tolerance for any troublemakers, it is one thing to march and protest, it is the right of the public, but they have no right to destroy any property, it is forbidden in Islam, yet it is the Islamic parties whose members are the most responsible for this, so while they pretend to defend Islam from an evil movie, they break Islamic laws about protecting public and private property.
What a joke. Rehman malik last week claimed that this video is banned and Govt of pakistan is strictly monitoring the websites. isnt it a shame to have liars like them as our rulers.
What will you ban next? The whole internet? And why not – your inability to control your emotions is your problem. First there were people laughing at this video. Now the same people will laugh at you. Provocations abound in every sphere of life. Getting provoked is a weakness. Think about it before you condemn this comment and this commenter.
Best way to defend the dignity and pride of Rehmatul Aalamin for muslims is to:
1. Say shahada and become muslms in first place.
2. Practice islam i.e. Be honest, always speak truth, keep our promises in short Be a Muslim like Prophet Muhammad Salal Laho ilehe wasallam
Unfortunately: Muslims make fun of Islam every single moment in life by disobeying Allah and His prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) & when someone cheap does it for cheap publicity, we help him get publicly known by holding rallies and destroying innocent lives and property.
Today our role model are TV & Bigscreen Models. Tell me for how many muslims real role model is prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) i.e. we have adopted his sunnat in our daily life.
good job – all Muslim countries should block YouTube and all Muslims should stop using Google until this video is completely removed. Try posting anti-holocaust or anti Jews film. Moreover, Muslim countries should learn how to handle such situations, violence is anti-Islamic , emotional. West only understands capitalism, all Muslim world should stop using Google and they will understand as their Ad market will shrink. Do not use Google, use Bing
Government should take a step in urgent bases . Every site should be monitor by our technology supporter I did see in other country in Iran U cannot see those type of things because they know our younger get and learn things very easily take a negative effect in seconds i think it will be not a big deal just like load-shedding in Pakistan
Finally a small good step from PAK may Allah forgive us …..this is the least they we can do
Good Decision … to shut down youtube. Also shut down google the owners of youtube. That is the best peaceful protest. If all Muslim countries shut down the youtube and google it will make a difference, as they relies on ads for their revenue. Individuals can boycott the google and use Yahoo as search engine… Thanks
Is there a supernatural force in Pakistan that opens youtube automatically and searches for “innocence of muslims” and plays the video clip? If not then why are people getting offended. Just don’t play what you don’t ant to see.
Yes This is a good step. But entire Muslim world must do some thing concrete so they know what is the result of such nunsense actions by such fanatics. We respect all religions and will like them to respect Islam.
Thanks indeed PM Sahib. But I’d like to point a loophole here, I tried accessing Youtube from my Ufone GPRS, and it worked out. I contacted Ufone’s call centre, the agent told me that they have not received anything in black and white from PTA so far so their users can enjoy running youtube. I asked him to log a complaint from my end, but he apologized. I would like to request PTA to direct Cellular Companies to ban the youtube services on their particular networks too.
Despite knowing the fact that youtube offers many educational and constructive videos too, but to register our protest this really is diehard necessary – youtube knows very well, what a countrywide ban means – its really destructive for their revenue. China did it to youtube a couple of years back and they were like on their knees.