National Assembly adopts resolution to lift YouTube ban

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 6 May 2014

Pakistan's National Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the lifting of the YouTube ban. The motion, presented by MNA Shazia Marri, highlights the ongoing use of proxy servers by citizens to access the platform despite the ban.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution to lift ban on YouTube.

Shazia Marri, a Pakistan Peoples Party MNA, had moved a resolution demanding to lift ban on YouTube, which was unanimously accepted by the House. The MNA asked the government to remove the ban as soon as possible. She argued that the people in Pakistan were already watching YouTube by using proxy servers.

The website was blocked in September 2012 after violent protests in Pakistan and around the world over an anti-Islam video “Innocence of Muslims”. In Pakistan 19 people were killed in incidents of violence and protests.

The one-line resolution said: “This House is of the opinion that the Government should take steps to lift ban on YouTube.”

In February this year, an appeals court in the United States ordered Google to remove the video from You Tube.

Currently a number of petitions calling for lifting of ban on You Tube are being heard by Peshawar, Lahore and Sindh High Courts.