Pakistan Seeks YouTube Ban on Over Two Dozen Critics Including Journalists

Alphabet-owned YouTube has informed more than 25 Pakistani critics, including journalists and opposition figures, that their channels could be blocked following a court order labeling them “anti-state.” The Islamabad judicial magistrate issued the order on June 24 after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) accused these channels of sharing “highly intimidating, provocative and derogatory” content against state institutions.

Among those targeted are the main opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), its jailed former leader Imran Khan, and several journalists critical of the government. YouTube warned the creators that failure to comply with the court could result in immediate blocking of their channels in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry indicated the creators could face criminal charges, emphasizing laws against using social media to “create chaos.” The crackdown follows broader efforts by Islamabad to regulate digital content and curb dissent, with prior temporary bans on platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok.

Critics argue this move undermines free speech in Pakistan, where traditional media faces severe restrictions. Journalists like Asad Toor, who has over 333,000 subscribers, condemned the ban as an attack on constitutional rights and a way to silence voices opposing state oppression.

PTI spokesman Zulfikar Bukhari said the government is suppressing human rights abuses and dissenting narratives after Imran Khan’s 2022 removal from office—a claim denied by Pakistan’s military. The court order is part of stricter laws, including a 2025 amendment allowing tribunals to impose up to three years’ imprisonment and fines for sharing “false or fake” content.

Digital rights advocates criticize the process for lacking due legal procedure, with creators like Toor planning to challenge the ban legally, calling it “dictatorial” and asserting that digital suppression cannot silence them.