ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Thursday set aside part of a lower court’s ruling that had directed the blocking of several YouTube channels over alleged “anti-state” content.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka accepted appeals filed by 11 content creators, including well-known journalists, and struck down the July 8 order issued by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah.
During the hearing, Judge Majoka voiced displeasure with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) prosecutor, saying the agency appeared to be shifting its responsibilities onto the court. He questioned under what authority the channels were blocked, cautioning that attempts to malign the judiciary would not be tolerated.
On July 8, Magistrate Shah had ordered the blocking of 27 YouTube channels most run by Pakistani journalists and commentators citing alleged anti-state material. Among those affected were channels belonging to Orya Maqbool Jan, Aftab Iqbal, Mutiullah Jan, Imran Riaz Khan, and Asad Toor.
Eleven of the affected content creators challenged the order, with their petitions heard collectively. The court earlier clarified that only cases pursued directly by the applicants or their legal representatives would be entertained, warning that unattended petitions would be dismissed for non-pursuance.
The ruling is being viewed as a significant relief for digital journalists and independent creators, who have increasingly raised concerns over curbs on online expression.
