Screengrab of the YouTube mascot holding a sign that reads "Hug me if you want me back."
KARACHI: YouTube may be banned in Pakistan but that didn't stop it from taking to the streets of Karachi. Or rather, a mascot sporting the video-sharing wesite's logo made the rounds of the city, asking people to hug it if they want YouTube back.
Team members of 'Pakistan For All,' a citizens initiative, gave Karachiites an opportunity to hug YouTube as part of a cheekily named campaign (see video below for reference) against state censorship and content regulation. A video of the campaign was released online on Friday and was widely shared on Facebook and Twitter.
In the video, Karachiites are seen happily embracing the mascot, who was holding a sign that read: “Hug me if you want me back.”
“We’ve been waiting for it [YouTube] for two years,” a valet parker said. “We can’t get by without Youtube.”
“I love Youtube, I love it, he added giving the channel a thumbs up, “YouTube great.”
The mascot was met with smiling fans and even made its way to the beach where adults and kids alike hugged it or shook its hand.
Attention: Video contains some explicit language.
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Hugs for YouTube!
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This film is part of a campaign by Pakistan for All facebook.com/pages/Pakistan-for-All/306237509513944
Pakistan For All is a collective of concerned citizens outraged by the persecution of minorities in Pakistan. They are resolved to stand in the way of those that seek to oppress others.
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Who says youtube is banned? Everyone in Lahore is easily accessing it without using any proxy or VPN.
@Leo: Yes I'm sure everyone knows why it was banned but guess what, Pakistan was the only country to ban it as a result while no other Muslim country did. Quite hilarious if you consider the fact that Pakistan probably tops the list in other blasphemous and un-Islamic activities that go on here which no one bats an eye to. This is a nation of double standards.
@Zinda Quom: slow down Johnny boy, do u know why it was banned??
Youtube was being used as an educational tool by millions of people in Pakistan. There are millions upon millions of informative, educative videos on Youtube compared to a few dozen hate related videos against Islam. We will be left behind compared to other countries in the region if the ban continues. There is another aspect to it, whenever some propaganda video against Pakistan or Islam was uploaded, an equal number of rebuttal in the form of videos were uploaded by Pakistanis, now this seems to be have just ended and and enemies are finding the field left open to them, whether it was against Islam or Pakistan. You cannot blame fire if someone gets killed, as you cannot live without it, one can get drowned in water but no one can live without water, It is the intrinsic value of good and bad which is important and not the tool itself. Next time ban the cars as people gets killed in accidents because of cars??
@ashar: You aren't alone!
Pakistan is probably the only country in the world that has banned YT while in other Muslim countries such as Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Malaysia and Indonesia YT continues to be online, yet in Pakistan corruption, nepotism, terrorism, defrauding, cheating and every form of un-Islamic activity continues unabated on a daily basis and no one seems to have a problem with that. That is fine but YT must be banned for being un-Islamic. How much more hypocritical can you get? If you want to show the world you are such a pious, God fearing Islamic country, then ban all the other un-Islamic activities that plague this country and get your priorities in order instead of focusing on that which conveniently covers up your own wrong doings and misdeeds. This country has become the laughing stock of the world.
Great initiative! i laughed so hard at the hashtag "Kholo BC" :D
"Pakistan For All is a collective of concerned citizens outraged by the persecution of minorities in Pakistan."
I didn't know youtube was a minority - such an obvious paid stunt.
Let's see how the mascot fares if you write instead 'Kick me in the rear if you don't want youtube back'
A good effort. I hope youtube gets unbanned in Pakistan. I really miss using youtube. (without proxies, obviously i use it with VPN) :D
A big hug to YouTube! Thank you team Pakistan For All.! =)