Islamabad:
A local court in the federal capital has ordered the blockage of 27 YouTube channels-all operations by Pakistani journalists and content creators-in-consideration of their alleged anti-state content.
Islamabad Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah issued a two-page order after hearing a request filed by the newly created National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). NCCIA had claimed that the channels were involved in spreading false and misleading information against state institutions.
The channels include those run by recognized journalists such as Orya Maqbool Jan, Aftab Iqbal, Mutiullah Jan, Imran Khan Riaz and Asad Toor.
“[This propaganda] are likely to cause fear, panic, disorder, and unrest in the public or society with defamatory and false remarks. [This also] violating privacy and damages the dignity of the officials of the state institutions, ”it added.
According to NCCIA, through these channels, the content created to provoke the public and armed forces’ staff by trying to create a sense of bad will among the colors of the state.
In his order, the Court noted that, after examining the facts and evidence presented by NCCIA investigators, the Court was convinced that the channels committed offenses under the law on the prevention of electronic crimes (PECA), 2016 and criminal law in the country.
“Head/Office responsible for the security department/depot manager of records for Google LLC, D/A/B YouTube 901 Cherry Avenue, San Bruno, CA 94066 US is therefore corrected to block/remove the said YouTube channel,” noted the order.
