A session and district court of Islamabad annulled Thursday an order of a lower court to block 27 YouTube channels, giving relief to 11 petitioners.
In July, it was learned that an Islamabad court had ordered YouTube in June to block 27 channels to disseminate “false, misleading and defamatory content against the Government and the Armed Forces. The sanctioned stories were being directed by journalists, political commentators and influencers of social networks in Pakistan and abroad. The prohibition order caused criticism of several legal and digital rights groups.
Among the 27 channels were those of the PTI, journalists Matiuallah Jan, Wajahat Khan, Ahmad Noorani and Asad Ali Toor; Former presenters Imran Riaz, Orya Maqbool, know Shakir and Moeed Pirzada.
The additional judge of the district and the sessions (ADSJ) Muhammad Afzal Majoka had later suspended the order for at least seven petitioners. A total of 11 of those affected had appealed against the order of the lower court.
Adsj Majoka conducted a hearing on the matter today and expressed anger to the prosecutor of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.
“You have begun to carry out your work through us. I will never let this happen. Tell me what channels of authority can be closed? You are trying to defame the judges,” he said.
The judge said he would dismiss the requests of those whose lawyers did not appear before the court for breach.
He subsequently reserved his verdict and then overturned the order of the lower court to the extent of 11 petitioners.
