Pakistan Lifts Ban on YouTube

Techtree News Staff, Feb 27, 2008 1909 hrs IST

The PTA has now asked these ISPs to lift the ban on YouTube, following removal of the clips considered 'anti-Islam'.

Pakistan has lifted the ban on popular video-sharing Web site, YouTube -- after removal of the allegedly "blasphemous" movie clips from the Web site.

Pakistan had banned YouTube Friday over "anti-Islamic" movie clips posted by users on the site. The clips were based on an upcoming movie by Dutch lawmaker, Geert Wilder, who'd previously said that his movie portrays Islam as a fascist religion, and as prone to inciting violence -- especially against women and homosexuals.

Lawmakers in Pakistan promptly ordered a ban on YouTube, over the movie clips they deemed as "blasphemous". The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued notice to 70-odd Internet Service Providers (ISPs) asking them to ban access to the site.

The PTA has now asked these ISPs to lift the ban on YouTube, following removal of the clips considered 'anti-Islam'.

Incidentally, several other videos featuring Geert Wilders are still kept visible to Pak Internet users; the "totally anti-Quranic... very blasphemous" clip has been removed, the Associated Press (AP) quoted spokesperson for the PTA, Nabiha Mahmood, as saying. She further said that the clip simply promoted Wilder's upcoming movie without giving further details on content.

Meanwhile, following the Pak ban on YouTube, the Web has been abuzz with reports of how, in imposing the ban, Pakistan mistakenly caused a global YouTube outage for several hours over the weekend.

It is learnt that Pak ISPs hijacked the Web servers of YouTube to block access to the site within Pakistan. But that in doing so, details of the hijack leaked out into the wider Internet, causing YouTube to be blocked -- not only in Pakistan but also across the globe -- for long hours on Sunday.

During the time that the Pak ban on YouTube lasted, everyone (even outside Pakistan) who tried to access YouTube ended up getting redirected to a virtual Black hole.

Stung by all this criticism, Mahmood tried to explain that the Pakistani regulator was not responsible for the 'technical glitches' that might have led to the global outage. That, it wasn't clear how those occurred.

Meanwhile, AP quoted Abdullah Riar, Pakistani Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications as saying, "We are already in the spotlight on the issue of intolerance and extremism and terrorism, and this (read: ban) is something that somebody is doing by design to excite and insinuate Islamic sentiments."

USER COMMENTS

by MEBUB.KHAN, GHANDHIDHAM, on Sep 10, 2008 05:59 PM, Report abuse Reply

free

by sakthi, tn, on Aug 29, 2008 04:06 PM, Report abuse Reply

yutreuio

by tuyen sanh, phu yen, on Jul 13, 2008 12:11 PM, Report abuse Reply

islam provides greatest liberty and security to women. specially the financial security

by ishaq, karachi, on Feb 28, 2008 06:23 PM, Report abuse Reply

so why does all my friends from Pakistan dont want to go there to marry someone who they even dont know, and why does they skared to go there, coz they can be killed of no reason...u dont know what you are talking abaut, u even doesint mix with woman there, ask ur sisters are they happy, than ur cusins and finely ur mother then talk abaut something!!!u have no idea how much they are sofering inside!!!

by Laura, Kaunas, on Feb 28, 2008 10:06 PM, Report abuse

do you really think all muslims come from pakistan and do you really think they all have aranged marriages ? if it was so bad for muslim women then why are so many woman converting to islam ? and the reason that they have aranged marriages between english muslims and paki muslims is to keep there heratage strong with muslims (paki's) here and i have to say ishaq i agree with you :) these people like laura are to ignorent to find out the truth about islam and about culture because they will find what she is talking about is more to do with culture than religion

by yvonne, colne lancashire, on Mar 02, 2008 12:43 AM, Report abuse

greatest liberty and security to women. specially the financial security and also security from getting sunburnt. liberty ????? could u pls define liberty

by luzifer, mumbai, on Mar 03, 2008 03:03 PM, Report abuse

Is that why Muslim Women walk behind the men? and why they are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia?I watch Saudi tv and see only men in theatres etc enjoying themselves! if this is your interpretation of liberty then you are welcome to it, I also see muslim men swimming in the sea in skimpy shorts while their wives go in fully dressed in their black burkas full covered.

by vasilious, Limassol, on Mar 03, 2008 05:35 PM, Report abuse

ME not pakiee and im surely proud of that too

by NOpukey, shanghai, on Mar 03, 2008 04:07 PM, Report abuse Reply

I did'nt see or hear that muslims ever attacked the values of other religion, because in islam every relion is respectable, and the messangers of other religion especially christianity and jews are our messanger too, it is our duty to respect them. But it is sad that all over the world people of other religion are keeping on insult Islam.

by zakia Bano, U E A, on Feb 28, 2008 08:24 PM, Report abuse Reply

i don't think it's islam that worries people. i think it is extreme interpretations of it. if thats all we hear in the news about muslims then we think (wrongly) that all muslims are like that. another point is you can't separate religion from the society and culture it is in. a lot of the problems are clashes between society/cultural values rather than religious ones. if people understood why other people think the way they do then the gaps between us would narrow. attacking each other drives us further apart. if that's what people want it makes me sad. but i hope it isn't !

by richard, sheffield, on Feb 29, 2008 04:24 PM, Report abuse

doesnt the quaran condemn all non believers in islam as infidels. Is stating someone an infidel showing respect to other religions?.. the insult lies within ur own belief not within others my dear.

by shoeshine, karlsruhe, on Mar 03, 2008 03:39 PM, Report abuse

I think its a right way to stop this......

by Fahad Meer, Karachi, on Feb 28, 2008 12:17 AM, Report abuse Reply

ban the internet in pak . their will be no more contoversies.

by shoeshine, karlsruhe, on Mar 03, 2008 03:30 PM, Report abuse

Any religion whether its be Islam,Christianity,hindu etc should not be offended by any means respect should be shown to all religions. peoples just wait for the hereafter for the "bigday" if u r A believer in Allah or not after death u will start believing and regret for what you lost in the world when u were alive, today you might laugh but nobody can cheat death, can you? Islam is true and the only true religion.Stop offending religions and see the truth. if any doubts then learn Islam..u will know (peoples might laugh today on these words, but they are cheating on themselves becoz evil had brainwashed them)

by Tanveer, MumBai, on Feb 28, 2008 06:56 PM, Report abuse Reply

after death you dont see allah you see Jesus . It a correction of your statement.

by Jason, Mumbai, on Mar 01, 2008 03:47 PM, Report abuse

BRAINWASHED ...Thats the word ive been looking for ... Doesnt islam condemn all other religions ? .. pls correct me if im wrong or brainwashed ?

by luzifer, mumbai, on Mar 03, 2008 02:59 PM, Report abuse

Yet more evidence of how backward Islam is. Hopefully one day Islam's followers will awaken to the 21st centuary.

by Bob, Here, on Feb 28, 2008 04:13 AM, Report abuse Reply

Hope you dont mind me pointing out that you are quite backward yourself as I get the impression that you know nothing about Islam. Scientists are just about discovering many scientific information in the Qur'an. Please do some research before making comments.

by Atheer Mian, London, on Feb 28, 2008 05:08 PM, Report abuse

I'm backward because I can identify retarded thinking and bigotry? Then backward I am. I need know no more about Islam than what I witness on a daily basis. A primitive religeon with equally primitive followers.

by Bob, Here, on Feb 28, 2008 10:21 PM, Report abuse

why is it always islam that is involved in such things.. and by the way to the dude who mentions abt the free western world and ppl smashing up cars and all . yeah your rite . its a shame to SEE rowdys after football matches SEE is the word ( as we can SEE them ) . what i cant see is the islamic extremists who blow up ppl or those who behead and saw of ppl heads as they all cover up their faces to hide their identities. maybe violence exists in all communities . One must figure out which is worse. If apparently islam is a peaceful religion then why dont the followers who are peaceful convince the NOT SO PEACEFUL follwers to do so or bettr not to do so ..islam is not tolerant towards other religions or any other culures and that cannot be disputed. 99% of islamic ppl are definately not bad but maybe they should stand up against all this instead of trying to justify it, unless of course they would be afraid to do so

by luzifer, mumbai, on Mar 03, 2008 02:47 PM, Report abuse

Religion is the oldest form of law, there to scare people into following rules. People take it too seriously. Certain civilizations need to advance and stop living in the stone age. Maybe even contribute something to the world instead of using other peoples inventions and creations.

by Rekon, Liverpool, UK, on Feb 27, 2008 08:44 PM, Report abuse Reply

many of the inventions you talk about are derived from ancient easern technology and wisdom the very system of counting 4 instance! oh andby the way the evolving west isnt as evolving as you think many U S schools are now teaching creationism

by ALAN, BIRMINGHAM, on Feb 28, 2008 01:48 AM, Report abuse

Infact i watched a documentry on inventions once. 80 odd percent of inventions actually originated from the UK. Religion is basically as barbaric as the stone ages. This is the 21st century, we know tornadoes, Tsumi's are not acts of a magical being to punish us, its the weather. We know Explainations for events. I mean come on, why do all the religious states live in poor undevoloped countries? Wouldnt God reward your loyalty for workshipping him with good times? Not starvation, corruption, death and all the other evils. Though i bet your excuse for the is its a TEST! Your undevolped, uncivilised countries are down to your hardcore beliefs in some magically being.

by Rekon, Liverpool, on Feb 29, 2008 09:12 PM, Report abuse

Can you tell me if YouTube is available in the UK or not? And will I be able to upload a film? (Don't worry- it's just the milkman)

by Michael Turner, Newbury, England, on Feb 27, 2008 09:55 PM, Report abuse Reply

yeah, maybe we should all become like these so called free thinking, freedom of speech westerners, then we can all be drunk, smashing up places because the football teams lost, have our 12 year girls giving birth and becoming single mothers at 14, kicking our parents into old people's homes and accepting the fact that it's free thinking for my wife to be sleeping with my best mate. dress modestly and you're backwards, be naked and u'r cool, stand up for what you believe, u'r extremist have no guidence and u'r a modernist. I can't wait to join these westerners.

by israr, birmingham, on Feb 28, 2008 11:10 PM, Report abuse

On the other hand we could regress a couple of millenia, subjugate the female race because of our own male insecurites and dismember our fellow beings for minor crimes. How can that way of living not appeal.

by Aghast, Londonistan, on Feb 29, 2008 12:12 AM, Report abuse

Hahaha; youre seriuosly not kidding huh? that is stupid

by Tictac, Bromley, on Feb 28, 2008 11:45 PM, Report abuse Reply

YouTube caved in to cybervandals. Disgusting.

by Gary McGath, Nashua, NH, on Feb 28, 2008 11:07 PM, Report abuse Reply

absolutely stupit!!!!!! what is to do with religion and youtube???why muslims has so many issues?why they just cant live in piece and quiet, if it is something wrong in this world its allways somethind to do wit islam...rubish

by Laura, Kaunas, on Feb 28, 2008 09:55 PM, Report abuse Reply

how can there only be one true religion ? that's tribal thinking. all religions say you should do what is right. but how you or your teachers interpret what is right will depend on your own values and beleifs. that is why we come to so many different conclusions about what "right" is. widom will only be understood by those who understand everyones perspectives

by richard, sheffield, on Feb 28, 2008 07:43 PM, Report abuse Reply

do not Say or abuse any other religion because no body like that any one say stupid things to his religion. It is very sensitive issue

by Rashid Shahzad, Lahore, on Feb 28, 2008 06:35 PM, Report abuse Reply

they r pakis wat esle u do u ant from them

by mr x, new york, on Feb 28, 2008 06:11 PM, Report abuse Reply

IF YOU DON'T LIKE A MOVIE CLIP DON'T WATCH IT MOST OF THE WESTERN WORLD ARE NOT BOTHERED ENOUGH BY THERE OWN RELIGION TO GET SO ANGRY PERHAPS THIS MIGHT BE AN IDEA FOR THE EASTERN WORLD, CHILL OUT A BIT IF IT OFFENDS YOU DON'T WATCH IT. IM SURE THE IS ENOUGH ANTI WESTERN/CHRISTIAN STUFF ON THE INTERNET BUT WE DON'T GET SO ANGRY AND START SHUTTING DOWN SITES GET OVER YOURSELVES LIVE YOUR LIFE HOW YOU WANT TO AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE BELIEVE.

by TOM, OXFORD, on Feb 28, 2008 06:07 PM, Report abuse Reply

hello

by menan, stoke, on Feb 28, 2008 05:01 PM, Report abuse Reply

So much for freedom of expression! When will they learn that it is a basic human right.

by tomasz, dublin, on Feb 28, 2008 04:59 PM, Report abuse Reply

by Anonymous, , on Feb 28, 2008 04:44 PM, Report abuse Reply

All religions mess up the world, so retarded, most the middle east are so messed up, just because some smart guys made up a story to get rich. nice one

by Chris, Brighton, on Feb 28, 2008 04:36 PM, Report abuse Reply

I think that someone is trying to cause something towards pakistan by creating a global outage.

by Aurangzeb, Birmingham, on Feb 27, 2008 09:07 PM, Report abuse Reply

u guys r missin the point by miles gert bleep wilder sed islamic rules r retrarded well m8 the onli ting around ere thats retarded r yer actionss islam is beautiful am a woman and through out my life i hav neva been opressed and you talk about homos islam is not the onli religion against homosexualityy your own christians r homophobic lmaooo so hu the hell r yhuu 2chat on dah??

by apsara, birmingham, on Feb 28, 2008 04:29 PM, Report abuse

intolerance leads to ignorance.

by Superman, new york, on Feb 28, 2008 01:13 PM, Report abuse Reply

It's quite like eatern religions to do this. When they say we are a bad religion the world just gets on with it. When Islam is told it's a bad religion it uses violence corruption and force to bring a bout ti ways. Yet if other religions were to do this on anti-(name of other religion) beliefs then Islam would say that it should be shown. Therefore its quite simply racism on a non-Islamic belief, which is stupid and rather short minded. But its typical of Eastern Religions to play the " we are such a minority card" and I hate it

by Anomynous, liverpool, on Feb 28, 2008 12:27 AM, Report abuse Reply

Islam, Christainity and Judaism [and many more] are all 'eastern' as you call them.

by Undleeb, London, on Feb 28, 2008 04:35 AM, Report abuse

may i correct you that all divine religions ie jewism, christinity and islam came into the part of world which now and always in the past were in the eastern hemisphere

by ishaq, karachi, on Feb 28, 2008 12:22 PM, Report abuse

islam is a very intolerent religion ,it belongs in the dark ages , it is barbaric , uncivilised and very very scary ... the next war is and will be about freedom of speech and thought and islam .... i nearly said god help us ... but there is no god , so that would be ridiculous ... wouldnt it ... ?

by mick ward, bradford, on Feb 28, 2008 03:21 AM, Report abuse Reply

islam is actually one of the 'new' reliigions. Christianity is actually much older. So you can not say it is outdated without saying christainity is too.

by Undleeb, London, on Feb 28, 2008 04:32 AM, Report abuse

y is it dat Hippocrates are focussing on ISLAM, wasting their time and money on these sort of movies which dont mean anything. ARE THEY TRYING TO EARN MONEY FOR THEIR LOVED ONES?!! Well wateva it is, they would neva win! muslims would fight for their ISLAM till death. oh yeh, we are NOT like christians updating our QURAN to suit our personal needs!!! people who are interested in watching these kinda movies, if you believe in GOD, would u eva let anyone HUMILIATE u! forget ur religion, u would kill people taking a mick outa ur GOD. jus because we muslims are not Paedophile, go naked anywhere and sleeping with our bro-in-laws, father or mother-in-laws or even with blood related brothers, ur saying we are not awaken!! well if u call that awaken mates, we wud rather stay sleeping for life!!!!!!!!!! MAY ALLAH (SWA) BLESS and 4give EVERYONE, AMEEN.

by HIBA, LUTON, on Feb 28, 2008 05:08 AM, Report abuse

does allah say kill for me, kill those that dont believe and those that mock ? I DONT THINK SO

by yvonne, colne lancashire, on Feb 28, 2008 05:18 AM, Report abuse

if islam is an intolerant religion, so can mr mick ward and other secular humanist like him have any ustification for phonetics like BNP, or those who degrade woman by exposing her like woman of stone ages without clothes or destroying family values by commitning and allowing incest on the name of freedom and tolernace....if tis is tolerance and civilisatin so let mick ward and his company enjoy it but we the cariers of the just message will continue our struggle to our last breath..if God willing.

by Inam ul haq, London, on Feb 28, 2008 06:48 AM, Report abuse

i will not talk to you in abusive language like you but only would that you were near to me then i would tell you about your freedom and making every part of your body witnessing to be wrong.you people will never understand untill you are crushed, because you donnt know the languge of peace.

by abrar, waziristan, on Feb 28, 2008 09:14 AM, Report abuse

Insult to Islam by Yobs don?t just affect Pakistan alone, don?t forget there are billions of Muslims in the world. That means it affects more that half of the worlds population. What?s happened to majority vote and democracy??? You guys are just fake. Long live Islam.

by Peter, Rotherham, on Feb 28, 2008 08:09 AM, Report abuse Reply

Pakistan is a sovereign state and has a right to decide when it does or does not wish to have Youtube.

by DAVE, Sheffield, on Feb 28, 2008 08:01 AM, Report abuse Reply

On the last comment, and the last paragraph of this article. Notice how all of a sudden this whole thing is a plot of the western world to incite hate against Pakistan and all Muslims. Interesting. We crashed Youtube to incite the world against islam. what will we do next? crash planes into buildings to invade Iraq?

by Shepsy, Bell, on Feb 28, 2008 07:24 AM, Report abuse Reply

Monkeys need messiahs?

by Monkey # 4798, Earth, on Feb 28, 2008 06:35 AM, Report abuse Reply

go est o west but sweet dreem is best like a happay life

by sunny, uk, on Feb 28, 2008 06:30 AM, Report abuse Reply

i m glad pakistan made the decision on lifting the ban the whole internet is full with things muslims r not suppose to see i guess muslims can avoid wat they think is not appropriate

by samra, pakistan, on Feb 28, 2008 05:38 AM, Report abuse Reply

How many times do we have tolerate abuse towards Islam...then they say its freedom of speech, yeah right it is people like Geert Wilder who entice hate and should be punished for it.

by Saren, Glasgow, Scotland, on Feb 28, 2008 05:37 AM, Report abuse Reply

Well, i believe that its the best way to do it. Because, others peoples have different fellings about the religion. If it fits Pakistan best for banning Youtube its really the way t do it.

by Quadarius Fergu, Manchester,Georgia, on Feb 27, 2008 08:03 PM, Report abuse Reply

all i have to say is you know how to show yourselfs up someone says something bad about you or profit mohamid you go off ya nutt and start fighting and smshing up your own towns (shops cars banks) why ? is there a point to it ? apart from making yourselfs look bad and proving the rest of the world right ?

by yvonne, colne lancashire, on Feb 28, 2008 05:14 AM, Report abuse

Well you have said that when people say your religion is bad you get along with it and when someone says islam is bad .. muslims start fighting.. let me answer that for you my freind.. just because you dont believe in your religion and dont have respect for them anymore quite rightly so as they are not right.. doesnt mean that everyone now has to be a non-religious person.. so why dont you just mind your own business go worship the devil (by walkng naked on the streets and raping young children) and leave us alone with our religion..

by Anomynous, Liverpool, on Feb 28, 2008 01:36 AM, Report abuse Reply

because you want to impose it on us ! Islam does not belong in these times , it is out if date .

by mick ward, bradford, on Feb 28, 2008 03:25 AM, Report abuse

imm pAKii t0o nd 0.d proud 0f it s0n, BRAAAAP nd it can do w/e it wants but in pakii onlyyy

by AN6EL, jAmaica qNz Newy0rk, on Feb 28, 2008 02:44 AM, Report abuse Reply

i am fen in youtube

by rahul bharti, ghaziabad, on Feb 28, 2008 12:56 AM, Report abuse Reply

i am intersting in these type of movies

by rahul bharti, ghaziabad, on Feb 28, 2008 12:53 AM, Report abuse Reply

i am very happy it is banned!

by classified, jupardaty, on Feb 27, 2008 10:28 PM, Report abuse Reply

shut up