Ban on YouTube continues in Pakistan

Ban on YouTube continues in Pakistan

YouTube

NEW DELHI: The ban on YouTube in Pakistan imposed to protest the film ‘Innocence of Muslims‘ continues, though Interior Minister Rehman Malik had announced that it was being opened on public demand.

Pakistan had lifted the ban on Saturday but re-imposed it later after discovering that the offensive content was still available on the online video platform.

According to reports, all the ISPs in Pakistan received notification yesterday from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to unblock YouTube with immediate effect and submit compliance through return email by 1700 hours.

Before ISPs could send the compliance report to PTA, Ashraf issued an order to block the YouTube again on the grounds that YouTube had not removed the blasphemous movie ‘Innocence of Muslims‘ from its servers.

The second directive of PTA to the companies said: "In pursuance of withdrawal of earlier MoIT directive of opening of YouTube, you are all now requested to block complete "YouTube" website immediately in Pakistan from all possible routes."

The website will remain blocked till further orders. Moreover, you are also requested to block the particular IPs of following version of YouTube without disrupting the non-YouTube traffic.

YouTube has been off internet in Pakistan for a hundred days, during which the PTA is understood to have held discussions with Google.