Google Pakistan website hacked

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 12 years ago

ISLAMABAD: Google Pakistan homepage could not be accessed virtually all day Saturday with reports that a Turkish group had hacked the search engine.

The hackers replaced the Google logo and search bar with a black image of two penguins walking on a bridge.

One message in English on the image said "Pakistan Downed" perhaps meaning the Google Pakistan home page has been taken down. There was also a message in Turkish.

Although the Pakistan Telecom Authority said the Google website had been re-constructed and restored, it was still not accessible by 9pm (PST) Saturday.

Don't Miss These

Shahzeb Khanzada faces lawsuit threat in Canada over video

November 19, 2025: Shahid Bhatti threatens legal action against Shahzeb Khanzada and his wife in Canada, claiming their actions endangered his life and violated Canadian law.

Journalists condemn police handling of Imran Khan’s sisters

November 19, 2025: Journalists across Pakistan condemn police for allegedly roughing up Imran Khan’s sisters outside Adiala Jail, sparking outrage and raising questions about rights and accountability.

Minister says man who harassed Shahzeb Khanzada identified

November 19, 2025: Pakistan’s information minister says the man who harassed journalist Shahzeb Khanzada in Canada has been identified as a PTI worker, though BBC Urdu says it cannot verify the claim.

Top ARY News official criticizes double-faced journalism

November 18, 2025: ARY News President Ammad Yousaf criticizes double-faced journalism in Pakistan, highlighting opportunism and ethical concerns without naming any journalist directly.

Benazir Shah targeted by AI video as Shahzeb Khanzada faces backlash

November 17, 2025: Benazir Shah condemns AI harassment while Shahzeb Khanzada faces sharp criticism for agenda-driven coverage, raising questions about ethics and accountability in Pakistani journalism.

Shahzeb Khanzada, Shahbaz Gill clash intensifies on X

November 17, 2025: A heated exchange between Shahzeb Khanzada and Shahbaz Gill on X escalates after a viral mall confrontation involving a member of the public, underscoring rising hostility and polarization in Pakistan’s media sphere.

Viral video shows Shahzeb Khanzada harassed in public

November 16, 2025: Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada was verbally harassed in a viral video while shopping. A fellow journalist condemns the attack and calls for respect and media safety.

Amar Guriro joins Saga Digital AI after leaving Independent Urdu

November 16, 2025: Pakistani environmental journalist Amar Guriro leaves Independent Urdu after seven years to become Editor-in-Chief at Saga Digital AI, marking a major shift toward AI-driven journalism.

Newsroom

Georgia urged to free jailed journalist Mzia Amaglobeli

November 19, 2025 CPJ urges Georgia to release journalist Mzia Amaglobeli after an appeals court upheld her two-year sentence, raising serious concerns over press freedom and political reprisals.

Human Rights groups urge U.S. to press Saudi Arabia on press freedom

November 18, 2025 Human rights groups urge U.S. officials to press Saudi Arabia on releasing jailed journalists and reforming media restrictions during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Washington visit.

Major X disruption exposes newsroom dependence on single platforms

November 18, 2025 A major X outage on November 18 disrupted newsroom workflows, exposed platform dependence, and created openings for misinformation as media outlets scrambled to shift distribution channels.

Palestinian journalist wounded during West Bank operation

November 18, 2025 A Palestinian journalist was wounded during an Israeli operation in the West Bank, highlighting growing safety risks and rising operational pressures for media crews on the ground.

Myanmar junta targets media outlet as contributor remains jailed

November 18, 2025 Myanmar’s junta charges AAMIJ News under its election law as a contributor Myat Thu Kyaw, remains imprisoned, deepening concerns over press freedom and escalating media repression.