Just more than a month after video sharing website YouTube was blocked in Pakistan; YOUTUBE is soon backing to square one! Since many countries have not removed their ban from YouTube, this largest video sharing website is giving a serious threat to its owner and certainly to its users in a way or so. But Interior Minister Rehman Malik insinuated that the site could be reopened, but only after access to anti-Islamic content has been constrained.
Rehman Malik, who during a press consultation on Friday indicated that he was an eager twitter user, despite the public attacks and abuses he had to face on the micro blogging site, tweeted from his demonstrated account that he will elevate the issue of reopening YouTube in the cabinet meetings.
“U tube [YouTube] is also wealth of knowledge but hurt the feelings of Muslims. I promise to raise in the cabinet to reopen it minus anti-Islam material.”
Pakistan had banned YouTube subsequent to a short clip from an incompetently made film insulting Islam raised to worldwide distinction. Consequently the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry took an action against the act of showing disrespect to the Last Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH) and directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block all the links to this Movie. However, innumerable instances of the video being uploaded on YouTube largely abolished PTA’s attempts.
The government then requested Google to block the snip from being accessed from Pakistan, but the internet giant refused to fulfill saying they did not have localized services in Pakistan, which would allow location based blocking.
The government in that case finally coerced a blanket block on YouTube on September 17, 2012, to restrict access to the video.
Pakistan got united with the countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan and Iran in blocking YouTube for failing to remove anti-Islam videos by imposing the blanket ban.
Rehman Malik also explicated his opinion by giving an example that if there is a smutty book in a library then only that book should be removed from the library as it’s not apposite to seal down the whole library. “If there is any anti-Islamic content then it should be removed,” the advisor said.
Well let’s see how will he come in action again as he is also facing a wide criticism for his infamous actions for the blockage of mobile phone services.
Regards,
Nida Zaidi
