Is Supreme Court considering banning YouTube in Pakistan?

Taking notice of objectionable content being shared on YouTube and other social media platforms, the Supreme Court (SC) issued notices on Wednesday to the Foreign Office and the Attorney General in this regard.

While hearing a bail petition filed by Shaukat Ali, a man accused of a sectarian-based crime, a three-member bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed and Justice Aminud Din Khan took notice of the content being posted on social media.

Justice Amin said that the judiciary has no objection to the right to freedom of speech and the public has the right to comment on the judiciary's performance and judgements. However, he said that the Constitution does not give people the right to discuss their private lives, local media reported.

He said although our salaries come from the public's money, that does not give them the right to 'our private lives'. He said YouTube and social media do not even spare the families and shame judges.

The public incites people against the Pakistan Army, judiciary and government, the judge said."People become 'uncles' on social media and humiliate us. We are being patient but this has to end," he said.

He asked whether the Federal Investigation Agency and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had seen what is happening on YouTube. He said YouTube is banned in many countries, while others control social media through local laws.

PTA authorities told that they could not remove individual content but could only report it. The court has adjourned the hearing till after Eid-ul-Azha.