Lahore High Court has been told that no technology so far could completely block all controversial sites.
LAHORE: The Ministry of Information & Technology and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) are still unable to block controversial content on video sharing website YouTube, and have told Lahore High Court (LHC) that there was no technology so far that would enable them to completely block all controversial sites.
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, hearing a petition seeking the restoration of YouTube, remarked that the reopening of the website was linked to the technological ability of the ministry and PTA to block controversial content on the sites.
The court directed director general PTA Waseem Tauqeer to hold a meeting with the petitioner as well as representatives of Ministry of IT and experts in order to assess and explore the state of technological ability available in the country.
Departmental representative will organize the meeting before the next date of the hearing and explore the technology that can enable the ministry and PTA to reopen YouTube after blocking off controversial sites, the order explained.
The court further directed that Waseem Tauqeer will place the minutes of the meeting on record before the next date of the hearing and shall also personally appear before the court to render his assistance.
The court will resume its hearing on July 27.
The court was of the view that in case the ministry of IT or PTA failed to come up with a technological solution on the next date of hearing, the court would then proceed to decide the matter on the constitutional touchstone of fundamental rights and public interest.
Earlier, the ministry informed the court that Google was not interested to join the proceedings.
The court expressed its regret over the attitude of Google and remarked that Google had not informed the court regarding its inability to join the proceedings.
The court had issued notices to Google Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd on its previous hearing on April 26.
The counsel for the petitioner said that there were several technologies available that could help block controversial content and websites from YouTube.
The petitioner sought directions for the Ministry of IT and the PTA to reopen YouTube and only block the controversial content.
YouTube was blocked in Pakistan on September 17 following orders by then Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.
The PM had imposed the ban after YouTube refused to heed to the advice of the Pakistan government to remove Innocence of the Muslims from the website, a film that was considered blasphemous.
The petition was filed by NGO Bytes for All.
In the petition on behalf of the NGO, Advocate Yasser Latif Hamdani said that all internet curbs are counterproductive and deprive Pakistanis the right to access of information as well as the right to counter any propaganda against the country or against what they believe in strongly.
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PLEASE GROW UP and OPEN the entire INTERNET back to us
The West likes to make such videos because they love to see our reaction and how we get so worked up about it? The West sees Islam as a source of terror and so far Muslims have failed to give a good explanation to defend themselves. In the end, what are Muslims doing to counter their thoughts about Islam and how? By banning this video and others we are only isolating ourselves from the problem, not removing it.
And you thought Nawaz Sharif was going to bring change ...? YouTube is an educational tool and the Government of Pakistan is depriving its population of this tool.
Well is this our IT and Telecom? We can't even make a software to block content on YouTube, it really shamefull. God Bless Pakistan.
"The PM had imposed the ban after YouTube refused to heed to the advice of the Pakistan government"
Heed the advice of Pakistani Govt?? Why would Google take their cues from someone who has the intellect and sensitivity of an overgrown infant? I would stop watching youtube if they ever blocked any content... I hope they continue to ignore GOP.
@Thor: Or we could, you know...not search for things we don't like on youtube? Do you need a filter to stop you from watching blasphemy?
What EXACTLY are we trying to achieve, is my point. Someone needs to explain. We can't stop blasphemy on the internet. So the plan is to pretend it doesn't exist? And we need a filter to be able to pretend properly?
This is yet another little game that the Government has played with the so called blessed people of Pakistan who own computer and use Youtube. *I would highly recommend everybody to watch a movie ZEITGEIST, how governments try to keep the public busy and occupied in small things *
What does the Government think? Nobody is accessing Youtube and other websites? YES! We CAN and we MUST.
do you think that the blasphemous content can be removed from the whole Internet ? NO SIR, IT CAN NOT
It's time our LEADERS should act wisely and *maturely * by letting people know that how WE have to react or be apathetic to what has and being done.
Why take all the trouble. Just yank Pakistan off the internet. After all, the caliphate did not have internet and yet it flourished. And since so many of Pakistanis are so enamoured of times begone, they should start emulating the non-access to the internet as a first step.
This is very sad. Muslims should show patience with blasphemous content ... instead they show ignorance:
[Qur'an 3:187] "... you shall surely hear many hurtful things from those who were given the Book before you and from those who set up equals to God. But if you show fortitude and act righteously, that indeed is a matter of strong determination."
The government is dealing with this matter very wisely which most people don't understand.The root cause is electricity. If we don't have electricity we will be more towards orignal Islam and muslims living in early times. We need to revert back to Orignal Islam by ptting off electricity all togather, then there will be nothing to complain about.
wow. so aside from actual governments of the world, even corporations don't take pakistan seriously anymore! brilliant response from google, i.e. "just ignore them"...
on a side note, i am SUPER glad that google did not join these 'proceedings'. nothing would be more shameful than for our IT ministry to admit infront of a multinational technology firm that they dont know how to block youtube pages.
Take the technology from Turkey, they have that kind of software. I think, our govt is not serious enough to lift the ban. Its hard to believe that they cannot develop or obtain such a software. Lame excuses!! Pathetic.
pakistan always fails and we all are puppet of mullahs
you can't block SUN by your finger. truth is always revealed.
I didnt expect this from Anushay Rehman. She is one capable lady. Anushay, are you listening to us????
@Rahim. Make up your mind - one one hand you accurately point out that YouTube isn't any different than the rest of the Internet with good/bad/rubbish - on the other hand you blame Google for being immoral for not editing content that offends Muslims. . YouTube content is always going to have content that offends someone - it's called free speech and if your limited to saying things that "aren't offensive" then your not going to say much that's meaningful. Further - if you want to use your 2 Billion Muslims as justification for editing then how about the remaining 5 Billion Non Muslims on this planet?
You can not control the internet. Wrap your head around that. If you don't like the content, don't visit it. Don't hype it up and the content won't get traffic. I swear these people in LHC are either really stupid, or in cahoots with the people creating this incendiary content.
@ Rahim: For some these are insults for others historical facts.
The logical, most "affordable" and a quick solution actually would have been to ask Google nicely to do the requested filtering on their content on Youtube. Unfortunately,Na-Pak government has already tried that in an arrogant way and Google declared that it does not consider Pakistan as a serious market for its products (in short, Google said they don't care even if they get banned from Pakistan). The government did just that -they "tried" banning Youtube. But it so happens, people in Pakistan can still use Youtube via proxies. Not only that, Pakistan is actually trying to throw the country back into stone age more by "trying" to ban content on websites which they pretend is 'harmful' for the Pakistani community. In reality, Pakistan's government and military elites want the idiot public to stay forever ignorant so no one will ever ask the rulers any question and believe whatever lies they feed the public.
We should ban all internet access,magazines,cinemas,music etc
This is so silly, Internet is full of rubbish and controversial stuff, are we going to block that as well. We need to accept that this kind of things will always exist. But on the other hand Google should show some morality and stop using its platform to insult over 2 billion Muslims.
Another alternative is to face the criticism on religion with cool heads and try to negate with logic and historical facts.
Our IT ministry is either filled with people who have zero knowledge of IT - because trust me even I, as a technology novice, can block any content on the Internet I want - or, they're a corrupt lot who don't care if YouTube and other such websites remain inaccessible to the common masses. It's a non-issue to them as long as they can access the websites themselves.
it's been a year, and Islam is still in grave danger from YouTube
We should just ban internet.
@Nadir:
and Wikipedia entries. The government treats us like children which need to be supervised.
The alternative would be to grow up- if people get offended by controversial content, then dont search for it and watch it!
Pakistan culturally wants to live either under a monarchy or dictatorship. Their wish is now being accomplished by our buoyant Judiciary, the new Kings. They have to decide everything for us from Menu on the table to U Tube. They are into everything except their own job narrative.
Instead of looting the money, buy a software. Here in U.A.E. all the explicit contents either in youtube or in itself any websites are all blocked. Why dont sharifs and zardaris ask their beloved arab friends to give them that software or just purchase it with them??
The technology only exists to ban Baloch, Ahmedi websites and the Rolling Stones magazine.
The Ministry of Information & Technology and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) are still unable to block controversial content on video sharing website YouTube, and have told Lahore High Court (LHC) that there was no technology so far that would enable them to completely block all controversial sites.
..yet when it came to blocking porn sites they could block each and every specific website address with NO issues.