Ban on YouTube: Govt decides to follow court’s ruling
Resolves to disregard proposals of a parliamentary panel and PPP’s resolution.
Bench directs Minister Anusha Rehman Khan to meet with experts before the next hearing on May 13. DESIGN: ANUSHAY FURQAN
ISLAMABAD:
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has decided not to take any independent decision regarding lifting ban on video-sharing website YouTube.
An official in the ministry of information technology told The Express Tribune that the government would only follow the court orders.
“The government has decided to disregard both the recommendations of a parliamentary panel and the resolution moved by Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA Shazia Mari in the National Assembly this week,” he added
A functional standing committee of Senate on Human Rights had recommended the government last month to lift ban on the service after necessary measures by Pakistan Telecommunication (PTA).
The PPP’s Shazia Mari had also moved a resolution in the lower house to initiate debate on YouTube but the speaker had not allowed her, saying that the issue was currently pending before a bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
However, Mari had argued that the court order did not restrict the government from lifting the ban.
“It is really disappointing that the government is ignoring this issue and trying to shift responsibility. YouTube is a source of knowledge for a large population of Pakistanis, particularly students and young professionals,” she added.
Meanwhile, the PPP’s Khurshid Shah, Senator Farhatullah Babar, MNA Shazia Mari along with representatives of civil society group ‘Bolo Bhi’ held a press conference to urge the government to unblock the website.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2014.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has decided not to take any independent decision regarding lifting ban on video-sharing website YouTube.
An official in the ministry of information technology told The Express Tribune that the government would only follow the court orders.
“The government has decided to disregard both the recommendations of a parliamentary panel and the resolution moved by Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA Shazia Mari in the National Assembly this week,” he added
A functional standing committee of Senate on Human Rights had recommended the government last month to lift ban on the service after necessary measures by Pakistan Telecommunication (PTA).
The PPP’s Shazia Mari had also moved a resolution in the lower house to initiate debate on YouTube but the speaker had not allowed her, saying that the issue was currently pending before a bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
However, Mari had argued that the court order did not restrict the government from lifting the ban.
“It is really disappointing that the government is ignoring this issue and trying to shift responsibility. YouTube is a source of knowledge for a large population of Pakistanis, particularly students and young professionals,” she added.
Meanwhile, the PPP’s Khurshid Shah, Senator Farhatullah Babar, MNA Shazia Mari along with representatives of civil society group ‘Bolo Bhi’ held a press conference to urge the government to unblock the website.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2014.