Dear PTA, Ban on YouTube in Pakistan Has Become Meaningless!

If Pakistan Telecommunication Authority or the Government of Pakistan is thinking that ban on YouTube is doing any good to the nation then they will have to think again.

Just to recall your memories, YouTube was banned in Pakistan on September 17th, 2012 when a blasphemous video had surfaced on the video sharing website.

Ban was primarily aimed at blocking the access of those blasphemous and anti-Islam videos in Pakistan as a result of a court order that had directed PTA to arrange the complete blockade of the blasphemous videos in Pakistan.

Since PTA couldn’t guarantee the cent percent blockade of all such blasphemous videos, the entire website was blocked and purpose was to make sure that no one is able to access YouTube in Pakistan.

After two years, YouTube is still banned but the sole purpose behind the ban is not fulfilled

We recently discussed that 4 to 5 percent of Pakistani internet users access YouTube directly (through means that we can’t disclose here), while others use proxies and VPNs.

The number of people who use proxy websites or VPN services to access YouTube is not known, simply because their originating IPs change (to foreign IPs) and its hard to track number of such users.

But the real deal breakers are those local video sharing websites that offer access to YouTube through APIs

But the real deal breakers are those local video sharing websites that offer access to YouTube through API. These websites let their users to search, browse and watch YouTube videos without any trouble.

YouTube APIs can bring YouTube’s video content and functionality to any website

Have a look at below screen-grab of a leading local video sharing website:

youtube_bar

When you enter the keywords, results are shown from YouTube — with-in the local website — as below:

YouTube

You can play any video from here with convenience, as if you are on YouTube.

Those who aren’t familiar, YouTube offers APIs that enables you to offer the entire YouTube content on your website. Data, bandwidth, content and everything is hosted and managed by YouTube and your website simply offers the readers the YouTube content even when they are not on YouTube.

API

Google explains YouTube APIs as following:

YouTube APIs bring YouTube’s video content and functionality to your website, application, or device.

So technically speaking, through YouTube APIs, these local video sharing websites are bringing the entire YouTube in Pakistan, while the real YouTube is on a ban.

I leave it up to you to decide if YouTube ban is fulfilling the purpose or not. In any case, here are two options for the government:

  • Option One: Lift the ban on YouTube, since all YouTube videos (including blasphemous content) are accessible in Pakistan so ban doesn’t make any sense.
  • Option Two: Make sure that YouTube is indeed blocked, and is not accessible in any case, which is very hard (if not impossible) to implement.

The ban on YouTube should be lifted, because all YouTube videos (including blasphemous content) are accessible in Pakistan so ban doesn’t make any sense.

It merits mentioning here that local video sharing websites claim that they have control over the content that is shown to their users. Meaning that, they can block videos that are blasphemous in nature. If so, why PTA can’t achieve it? When a low-budget web-master can guarantee the blockade of blasphemous videos, when government can’t?

These are few questions, that I want my readers to think. And then judge the intentions of our government, leaders and the law enforcers (PTA in this case).

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • jaahil log technology ko rokny chaly thy.. technology tumeh chala rahi hai tum technology ko nhi… I have VPN subscription for one year where I am allowed to connect my 5 devices to internet through proxy!

    [Comment Moderated by Admin]

    • PHD Sb, ap ko bus video dakna ka shoq ha srf, ap ke is youtube “technology” nay ap ko kitna bhala kar dea ha!?!

      yah phr bus shskay marnay k lea comment kr dea ha kay ap kay pass VPN subscription ha!

    • Brother, I am a IT professional, a full stack developer and youtube has contributed a lot. Also, it is not all about youtube. Sometime I cannot access google play store on my cell phone. And there are many other reasons to have a VPN subscription! BTW why I am justifying it to you?

      • dont tell me that you learnt PHP from youtube? well i am not against VPN if you use it for blackhat or whitehat, i am just saying Pakistan is more good place without youtube, who knows tomorrow “A User” upload another video against Islam and then AAMIR ATTAA Sb will eb first to break that news, It is all about from which side you are getting money! ;)

      • why paying for it when we have solution like Tor, world most known service not only for PC but mobile also.

          • using since approx. 2.5 years at home and not yet faced any kind of inconveniency ( windows 7 with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Avast Premium ) . anyway it is up to you as a user, use the service which seems better to you
            happy surfing :)

      • Do you know about Tech Conferences, Public Talks of Entrepreneurs, Product Tour Videos, etc? I hope you need to enlarge your canvas.

        So you think I am getting paid by Youtube? Yeah, right! I dont even use adsense or adwords to earn. I do have to use Google Play Store. You just showed your illiteracy by doubting my source of income even you know nothing about me.

        FYI! Proxy is innocent until proven guilty!

        • well, i didnt said you are getting paid from youtube, did i? read the reply again and with open eyes and mind too!!

          And there are million alternates of youtube for these things, all these things are there too, and you are the first entrepreneur which i saw who need youtube videos to guid him! lol

          I have online website for more then 4 years and that is going wesome for me, and never needed a guidline from youtube video to show me how to do my work!

          Best of lucks with you VPN based Entrepreneurship i am better off without it!

    • i have also buy the vpn server to access youtube :( its not fair to block youtube because youtube is the 2th big searchengine. Idiot PTA

    • Then You Should Thanks to Your ISP, Because in Karachi Many ISPs Blocked All VPNs, Proxy Sites And DNSs :D

  • the ban should never be lifted
    if people are accessing it they are doing it on their own atleast the govt. has done one thing right and u cant even appreciate that. now who has more regard for islam? the person who tries everything so he can access utube or the govt who atleast banned it just bcz it can. so what if it can not hold back people so what if it cant ban properly through all cahnnels but still it banned it and showed some dignity

    and people like u are asking to remove it shame on u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • Have a heart mr Amir. You are also becoming part with those who wants to reverse pakistan in stone age like taliban did in afghanistan once they came in power like banning tv, radio, computer, forcing men to keep beard and beating the woman publically….For Heaven sake this may be anything but not Islam.

    • Islam k name pe is qism k kam karna chor do. Everyone knows now that the ban on YouTube was entirely political. Nothing to do with blasphemous contents.

      Also, reading is very important. So make sure to read properly before spewing your stuff.

    • Be ready to be Bashed, dear bash!!! I will say just one thing Mr. Bash, You Tube was banned due to POLITICAL reasons. Get this inside your head, for once and for all!!!!!!

    • Whole internet is full of blasphemous contents inc facebook. Youtube was good source to watch Islamic lectures. Peoples get fooled by politicians.

    • Yes This post is in favor of “ban should be lifted”… Shame On Author… itNa bhi ni krsakty NABI PAK(saww) ki khatir…Jis nay acces krni krly there are wayz…but jo access karty Ap unky wakeeel na Baneen…

      • aap ne shayed yeh padha hi nahi, in-hon ne 2 options diye jis me doosra option yeh hai

        Option Two: Make sure that YouTube is indeed blocked, and is not accessible in any case, which is very hard (if not impossible) to implement.

        yaani poori tarah band ker dein keh koi bhi access hi na ker sakey, yahan kahin bhi youtube ko access ker sakne walon ki HIMAYAT mein kuch nahi kaha gaya balkeh PTA ko kuch baatein samjhayee gaeyn hein.

        • Yehi to Problem hy enhon nay 2 options Diyay haiN… Kiya he bat hoti kay Yeh kehty Kay BaaaN kroO Youtube Sahi Tarhaan….unhoon nay open ki bhi baat ki hy…. Ap enki Siyaasat ko nahi samjhy :D

      • Pehle tou agha sahab app bataein ke ap ne Nabi (SAW) ki kon konsi aur kitni sunaton ko zinda kiya hai aur unki kis kis talemat par sadq e dil se amal kiya hai. Phir dosron ko nasehat karna

        • Same Rule goes on U… AllaH knows bettr kon kitNy Pani main hy… .. BaN Should never b lifted… itNa Masla To creat Youtube alternative…

    • aur jo hakumat din daharey aurton ko munh pe goolian mar kar qatal kar deti hai woh tou deen ki bohot alla khidmat hai na. For your information mister …. the same youtube is also providing millions of videos promoting ISLAM . DONOT BE A CRITISIZER FFOR THE SAKE OF IT. Those who make and watch such blashempous contents are directly answerable to ALLAH here in this world and also on the day of judgement. So please lift the ban on youtube as its a very informative and educative site.

    • You ask who has more regard for Islam. I will tell you: the Muslim scholars who use Youtube to spread Islam.

      Fully proven to have more regard than people like you who stay away from free lectures on Islam and try to keep others from accessing knowledge.

  • Lift the ban. People who are really sensitive should not be searching for blasphemous content and I can assure you it’s not gonna pop up automatically to hurt your sentiments.

    Also, from some unconfirmed news I heard a while back that tunedotpk is feeding PTA well to keep youtube blocked in Pakistan. Don’t know if its true or not but a long term lesson for PTA is that if you actually start blocking stuff it would create an even bigger backlash when you try unblocking it,

  • Shame on PTA .. i mean seriously just look at the whole scene y0u PAKISTAN ka laakh0 karor0 noch noch kr khanay wal0 .. We can actually access Youtube videos so damn easily nowadays and that s0 called BAN is just useless and actually a Political dramaybaxi n bec0x of it, many students and professionals are suffering since 3yrx n0w ..

    Koi t0 acha faisla kar0 pakistan or pakistani0 k liye please .. agr Ban krna hy t0 sb kch kr0 0r jb nahi kr sktay and tmaray paas her facility hai t0 uska l0go k0 faida pohncha0 PTA ..

  • I could easily access youtube in pakistan just when it showed blocked page I would refresh it untill the site is opened

  • Actually, they can’t block anything in Pakistan. you have thousand ways to bypass the restrictions.
    It’s useless, unless they manage to hire some educated peoples in Govt. sector with good investment on hardware.

  • Aik to in Jahilon nay YouTube band kar rakha hai do salon se. Kia karain 3g 4g ka ? Facebook chalayen ? Woh to Gprs par bhi chal jata :D

  • abay yaar.,. loog ab youtube ko bhuul bhe gaye hein.,., aur jo aapne snapshot lagaya hey (can’t disclose here) :D usi per access hota hey sab.,., :P
    ab kahin API bhe block na hojaye :S

  • Youtube is necessity of life, need of healthy society. Youtube is not totally entertaining website. Infact we can gain so much information and increase our General knowledge and learn alots in every aspect of life.

  • PTA please unbanned the youtube, it’s not about the blasphemous video but its because of education, I can’t access the videos of my lectures because you banned the most important site in Pakistan, please unbanned the youtube, I want to access it legally not illegally.

  • ProPakistani please kuch to chupa bhi rehny do yar… ab API ky bary btany ki kia zarorat thi????

  • Aamir bhai bhens k samnay been baja rahay hain, jin ko convince krnay ki koshish kr rahay hn un k samnay aj kal aur buhat saray problems hn, un ko to apni hakoomat ki pari hy k isay kesay bachana hy, who cares about youtube?

  • it should be Banned Forever even they remove video from their site…. we should set an example for other sites… plus Youtue ban gave space for Tune.pk alike sites… i think we Should create a Youtube alternate not just Pakistan level like Tune.pk which is goOd but whole world level…

  • Is Mulk Main Junaid Jamshed Jesay Banday Ke Peechay Log Par Gain Hain,
    Jis Ne Apni Galati Ki Maffi 100 Dafi Mangi Ha. Ye To Phir YouTube Ha!!
    Jub Humaray Molvi Diesel Jesay Hoon Gay, Tab Tak Pakistan Ka Kuch Nahi Ho Sakta!!

    • Khuda ke bande juned jamshed ne jo kiya wo intehai galat hai uski muaafi mangne per tum aur hum kese muaf ker sakte hen wo to Allah ka aur uski azeem hastio ka gunahgaar hai.
      hmare liye to wo mujrim hai aur rahe ga baki Allah Pak raheem hai usy muaaf ker de to uski qismat lekin hum nhi ker sakte us khabees ko

      • Please think before you speak, guest name rakh deny sy ap hm sy to chup jao gy Allah sy nahi. Allah frmaty bnday tm itny gunah karo k asman ki chat sy laga do phr ek dafa kaho Allah maf kr dy to main tmary sary gunah maaf kr dun ga jesy kye hi na hoon. Allah ap jesy logon ko hidayat naseeb kary jo Imran Khan ko khuda smj bethy hain. Ameen

        • Saar Baat Theek Kar Ke End Pe La.nat Tumhari Ga.n.di Shakal pe…
          Tum Ne Samjha Hoga Ganjoon Ko Khuda Jo Har Dafa Unhain Vote Detay Ho!!

          • Aap ne sahi kaha is dafa yahoodiyoan ko chanse de ker un ki larkiyon ka danse bi dekh ley gey.hehe

            • Yahoodi Were The Inventor Of This Jamhooriyat,
              Jahil Insan, Kisi Musalman Ko Gar Muslim Kehna Allah Ko Sakhat na Passand Ha, I Dont Remember Exactly But Is Ki Saza 40 Korron ki Ha.. Think before You Speak.. Effin Loser!!

      • Allah Ne Ap Ko Contract Diya Ha, Jo Banda Is Duniya Main Kuch Galti Se Be Kehday To Usko Phansi Do..
        Koi Insaan Bano, Agay Tum Lagon Ne Kitney Hindu Aur Christians Katal Kiye Hain!!
        Agar Allah Ko Itna He Bura Laga Hoga To Woh Ek Din Bhi Is Duniya Main Nahi Guzar Sakay Ga..
        Kuch Allah Pe Choordo, Khud Har Cheez Ka Khuda Na Ban Jaya Karo!!
        Sharam Karo!!

      • what about amir liaqat…. JJ is atleast not a hypocrite and a liar like him. He committed a mistake, realized it and ask for forgivness from ALLAH. Who are you to say him a mujrim. Pehle sab apna apna muhasba karo aur apne greebano mein jhankon. Agar sirf sacha musalman milay tou phir zaror kisi a muhasba karna

  • Youtube Andriod me to block nai hy mene EVO , DSL, Ufone, Mobilink, Zong ki net se chalaya hy bina kissi proxy k chalta hy baqi telenor me block hy baqi jis ko PC pe chalana hy wo ZenMate extension download kr le apne browser k liye :)

  • I was one of the team that initiated an opensource project right when that blasphemous content popped out but a completely irrelevant department (وزارتِ داخلا

    enslaved the authority to allow a change in internet censorship laws for pakistan which do not exist by the way, so to have conquered this mission a certain set of system integrated laws were to be introduced and as this is a Such Demo, Wow Cratic, Much Republic of the very Pakistan the rest is “Namaloom”

  • what happened is that internet evolved as it was meant to, while those who never knew or heard the term proxy are now proficient with at least activating and deactivating through an end user interface of a tool which it is.
    Adaptation ! fellow pros

  • Good thing about Youtube. It doesnt force you to watch any video. If you dont want to watch a video, well dont freakin search for it…blocking is ridiculous

  • same as you mentioned here …

    —–>

    It merits mentioning here that local video sharing websites claim that they have control over the content that is shown to their users. Meaning that, they can block videos that are blasphemous in nature. If so, why PTA can’t achieve it? When a low-budget web-master can guarantee the blockade of blasphemous videos, when government can’t?

    <—–
    everyone who knew about these websites, want to ask this question to PTA.

    I am using Youtube for my various purposes on daily basis too.

    regards.

  • if someone want to goto a certain website, they can, they will and there are so many way to. I bet 2 years from now when youtube was blocked everyone started to use VPN and proxy to access youtube everyday and many learned what VPN can do for them, 2 years wasted on blocking youtube and yet the purpose of doing so is unattended, honestly majority don’t even care any more if youtube is blocked, we had 2 years to educate and learn best possible way to access youtube. you want youtube to stay blocked here? sure but does it play any role beside putting our countries name as one who has blocked a whole site because they couldn’t come up with a smarter way to deal with a problem.
    btw who has done anything about that video in past 2 years? anyone? what did PTA do? NOTHING they “talked” about it on camera for 30 seconds and that was it…. nothing ever again, nothing. if those ppl who find this video so offensive wanted it to be deleted, they could years ago but no, a pointless temporary decision seem to be permanent and has no effect on anyone of how they use youtube cos we all have been as usual.

  • Deal of PTCL and other companies with Daily motion is one major reason YouTube won’t be open anytime soon. So the purpose is business not religion. On the other hand it is blessing in disguise for some users because VPN is handy for many other sites and those sites which have blocked Pakistan for obvious reasons such as smallnetbuilder, anandtech forums etc. So although it would be great to see YouTube ban lifted however, I personally would still use VPN for full freedom.

  • Pakistani media kings hate Youtube, blasphemy was just a lame excuse to shut the service that’s got tonnes of useful and educational material alongside some crap.

  • The governments PPP & present do not want open it because what is happening in Pakistan will immediately be aired globally. Other social media like face book, twitter and so many are exposing what the the Govt. is trying to conceal. Govt. must take courage and open.The protests and provocations on if any U tube will die down by itself.

  • Several ways are available to use YT, by using different shape of proxy. Even YouTube has blocked perfectly a long time but Peoples don’t care and using Sachi Yari to access YouTube without any interruption.


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