YouTube becomes accessible on some mobile networks, as PTA insists ban remains

Site is accessible on at least three mobile networks though PTA, ISPs insists the ban has not been lifted.

KARACHI: In a surprising development, video sharing site YouTube was accessible on Monday on computing and mobile platforms.

First, at least three mobile operators restored access to the website on Monday evening, while access returned on computing platforms later at night.

Though complete access was not restored to YouTube on computing platforms with the site only accessible via secure hypertext transfer protocols (HTTPS).

The cellular subscribers,The Express Tribune contacted, confirmed that they were able to access YouTube through their cellular data service. However the video-sharing website was not accessible on all mobile networks.

No PTA de-notification

PTA has not issued any directives in this regard. PTA’s chairman Farooq Awan confirmed the ban was still in place while responding to a query.

The video-sharing site remains blocked on broadband internet providers such as Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited’s DSL and Wateen. The Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan also confirmed they have not restored the site.

A source from PTA, who requested not to be named, said they received a directive from Ministry of Interior with several instructions regarding unblocking of YouTube, permanent blocking of unregistered SIMs, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and automated web locking.

The ministry, in its directive, instructed PTA to restore the video sharing site and manually block blasphemous content using PTA’s system; the source said – he didn’t mention as to when the directive will become effective.

It is important to mention that PTA doesn’t have any system to manually block thousands of links leading to the anti-Islamic video. It has to be done though ISPs, which is virtually impossible as this will require huge amount of time and effort.

The site has been banned in the country since September 17, after its parent company Google Inc refused to comply with government requests for taking clips of an anti-Islam film off its servers.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority had blocked the video sharing website after the anti-Islamic video sparked riots in Pakistan and much of the Muslim world.

Last week, Interior Minister Rehman Malik while maintaining that regardless of the fact that the process of blocking and unblocking of websites fell under the purview of Ministry of Information Technology and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, was forming a committee to review the matter.

In September, the clip from a two hour long amateurishly produced film went viral after a translated version was broadcast in Egypt. The broadcast sparked violent reactions in Egypt where protesters stormed the US embassy. Violence subsequently broke out in other countries and the US embassy in Libya was also attacked.

Among the countries that requested YouTube and Google Inc to block access to the video, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Pakistan blocked the site after the internet giant refused to comply with requests. The company though complied with requests from India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It took a threat from the Saudi government and a court order in Brazil to make the site block access to the specific clips in those countries. The website though took unilateral action in blocking access to the clip in Egypt and Libya.

Google, while refusing to honour requests from the White House to block the film, has maintained that the clip and its content do not violate its community policies.

Last week, the producer of the anti-Islam film was sent back to prison for a year after a judge found him guilty of violating his terms for parole.