YouTube still blocked in Pakistan: PTA

Momentary spark for internet users as site became accessible before returning to the darkened, non-compliant screens.

It was a brief moment of happiness for internet users in Pakistan when video sharing website YouTube started working on some internet service providers on Monday. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) soon hit back saying that the website remains blocked.

Express News had reported that the website was unblocked after a three-month ban, while some internet users had also suggested that it worked briefly on their computers.

PTA officials, however, said that the authorities at the video sharing website have failed to comply with the demands of Pakistani government of removing blasphemous content and therefore, no decision has been made to lift the ban. The Ministry of Information Technology has also denied reports that YouTube has been unblocked.

On November 12, YouTube became accessible to at least three mobile phone operators.

In September, a short 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.