Pakistan: Supreme court hints to ban YouTube

New Delhi, July 23: Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken notice on Wednesday of objectionable content on social media and YouTube and hinted at shutting down the video-sharing platform in the country.

Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin and Justice Mushir Alam were on the bench hearing the case hinted about banning TouTube while hearing the case of a man, Shaukat Ali, involved in a sectarian crime.

During the hearing, Justice Qazi Amin stated, "We are not against freedom of expression and masses have right to discuss our performance and decisions as we take salaries from public money but the constitution also provides us right of personal life but users of social media and YouTube are targeting our families", he said.

"We have no objection to freedom of expression, remarked Justice Amin. Our salaries are paid from the money of the people, they have the right to raise questions on our decisions and our performance, he said. But the Constitution also grants us the right to privacy", Justice Amin also said.

A Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) official told the court that the PTA cannot remove objectionable content and only can report it.

Justice said citizens in the United States or the European Union would not dare to post anything against their nations and social media is regulated through local laws in the countries wherein Pakistan, people are incited against the judiciary, the government and the armed forces.

The court issued notices to the attorney-general of Pakistan and the foreign ministry on the matter.

Pakistan's digital space has been frequently restricted and is monitored closely through laws such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 as well by the federal agencies.