PTA blocking YouTube is 'blatant censorship,' says Nighat Dad
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 7 September 2022
Join our WhatsApp channel
The PTA has blocked YouTube in multiple areas of Pakistan during Imran Khan's address, causing connectivity issues. Digital rights advocate Nighat Dad labeled the action as blatant censorship.Summary
ISLAMABAD—The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked YouTube in several parts of the country Tuesday as PTI Chairman Imran Khan addressed supporters in Peshawar.
Some users experienced slow connectivity, making it hard for them to watch Khan's speech uninterrupted.
It was the second time in less than a month that PTA took down YouTube. On August 22, when Khan made a speech at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, users could not access the popular video-sharing website.
Digital rights expert Nighat Dad termed PTA's action 'blatant censorship. "PTA cannot arbitrarily block YouTube or any other platforms only because a political leader gives an offensive speech, it's not an illegal content neither it hurts national security. This is a blatant censorship!" she told DawnNews TV.
KEY POINTS:
- PTA blocks YouTube during Imran Khan's speech.
- Users faced connectivity issues across Pakistan.
- Nighat Dad criticizes the PTA's censorship approach.
- This is the second blockage of YouTube in a month.
- The action raised concerns over digital rights in Pakistan.
