YouTube ban may be lifted after Eidul Fitr: report

E-Paper | July 28, 2026

ISLAMABAD: A ban imposed on video-sharing website YouTube may be lifted after Eidul Fitr, a report published on a local news website said.

The report quoted Federal Minister for Science and Technology Anusha Rehman as saying that an internal-member committee would be convened soon to review the possibility of removing blasphemous content from the website.

Rehman said the government wanted to lift the ban on YouTube and steps were being taken in this respect. She added that all relevant stakeholders would be kept in the loop regarding the matter.

The government had blocked access to YouTube on September 17, 2012 after the website refused to filter sacrilegious content in Pakistan.

Prior to this, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), acting on orders of the Supreme Court, had started blocking links carrying the video. However, innumerable instances of videos being uploaded largely nullified the PTA’s attempts.

The government also requested Google to block the clips from being accessed in Pakistan, but the internet giant did not entertain the request saying it did not have localised services in the country which would allow location-based blocking.

The government finally imposed a blanket block on YouTube on September 17.

Besides Pakistan, countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Iran have also blocked YouTube for not removing anti-Islam videos.

Pakistan

Govt doing nothing to resolve YouTube issue

Hussin

Jul 26, 2013 10:56am

"Besides Pakistan, countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Iran have also blocked YouTube for not removing anti-Islam videos". Because none value education and all are more emotional than realists. Lets have Pakistan be the first to realize the positivity in You Tube which has a lot of negativity also and prove itself as a dynamic, moderate and progressive nation.

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Little Khan

Jul 26, 2013 11:59am

Even when YouTube gets unblocked (which it should have been ages ago) the PTA should not expect to be cheered for it. Their incompetence and and lack of commitment over the past 10 months has annoyed internet users across Pakistan. Champions of democracy blocking information, how hypocritical.

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Osama Sarwar

Jul 26, 2013 12:33pm

Yes, please!

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Ali

Jul 26, 2013 12:54pm

Only if I had a penny for every time they made an announcement for unblocking youtube.

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darsh

Jul 26, 2013 01:22pm

@Hussin: Wow. Dint expect this frm a Pakistani. I thnk Pak is finally changing for gud !!

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sheryar

Jul 26, 2013 01:23pm

how about unblocking torrents also?

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Marcus

Jul 26, 2013 02:26pm

Good news for Pakistan students and other educated people who constantly endeavour to gain knowledge and information about everything. One you could have a higher place among the top. Don't allow the ignorants to keep you ignorant.

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Reader

Jul 26, 2013 02:51pm

Bangladesh has unblocked YouTube now. No?

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Sonal

Jul 26, 2013 04:32pm

Pakistan still places a ban on YouTube? That is so primitive!!! Are we still in the Dark Age??

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Youth

Jul 26, 2013 04:51pm

I think the ban should continue until youtube removes the the dirt from its system. Nothing has change so should the ban be lifted,

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Eddie

Jul 26, 2013 06:01pm

This will be a good move by the government and a step in the right direction toward improving the educational level of students...stop the reactionary mullahs from ruining quality education for the next generation...step away from the 7 th century and into the 21 st century..

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Ahmad

Jul 26, 2013 06:15pm

Please do not forget why the YouTube was blocked in first place. We respect secular

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Dr Athar Abbas

Jul 26, 2013 07:23pm

Followers of the prophet who decently accepted the woman throwing trash on his head, is acting exactly in the opposite direction. While blocking the content, are we showing that we are good followers of his philosophy? Doing this blocking decision, we are not living in the modern world, we are not realist, we are not encouraging information and education and on top of it we are not even Muslims envisioned by the prophet himself. **Tolerance** was his basic message.

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Shahzad

Jul 26, 2013 07:57pm

@Hussin: On what cost? Insult and humiliation of your own religion?

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Shahzad

Jul 26, 2013 08:04pm

@darsh: Yes, We can expect this from a Pakistani or any non-Muslim but not from a Muslim who feelings hearts with such debated videos on Youtube on which it was block and shold be remian blocked.

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Ali

Jul 26, 2013 09:13pm

If you cannot handle seeing "blasphemous content" stop searching for it, its open source let everyone use whatever they want. The fact that youtube is open does not mean every single youtube user is seeing those videos.

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Jul 26, 2013 09:15pm

Blasphemous content creation is a shameful act of fanatics. However, Muslims are encouraging such mad men to act against their pious prophet and wonderful religion by over-reacting. Banning of Youtube and pressurizing Google by naive muslim governments certainly will not work. They should realize that information technology and its reach had exceeded any ability to censor it. The best course is to ignore such content and leave it alone. The old saying is that the one who steps into shit will certainly smell it the most and carry it far.

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Asad Malik

Jul 26, 2013 11:22pm

@Eddie: You are ignoring our prime stance..We muslims value our religion more than anything..It was easy for youtube to filter content for countries which deemed them anti religious..Infact no one will die if youtube is not accessible or available..There are many alternative and less controversial video hosting sites already available.

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numbersnumbers

Jul 26, 2013 11:50pm

Believe it (unblocking) when you can see it (YouTube)! How long has this farce gone on?

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