Why is Youtube Not Working in Pakistan? Internet Services Suspended in Pakistan
by A N Rahul | Updated May 10, 2023
Who is Imran Khan?
Imran Khan is a former cricket captain and politician who served as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022. He founded and chairs the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party. Khan graduated from Keble College, Oxford, and played international cricket until 1992, winning the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
He founded cancer hospitals and a college before entering politics and won a seat in the National Assembly in 2002. As Prime Minister, Khan addressed economic issues and launched initiatives such as the Ehsaas Programme and the Plant for Pakistan initiative. He was removed from office in 2022 and charged with anti-terror laws and corruption in 2023.
Why is Youtube Not Working in Pakistan?
Access to YouTube has been blocked by the Pakistani government, along with other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. This is in response to widespread criticism over the arrest of Imran Khan, former Prime Minister and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
As a result, users have reported degraded internet services across the country, particularly when trying to access various social media platforms. This is not the first time that YouTube has been blocked in Pakistan. The video-sharing platform was previously blocked for more than three years from 2012 to 2015, after a controversial anti-Islam video was uploaded on the site, sparking widespread protests across the country.
The current ban on YouTube has once again drawn criticism from many, who argue that it violates the freedom of expression and access to information. The government, on the other hand, has defended the move as necessary for maintaining law and order in the country.
Why Imran Khan Got Arrested?
Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was arrested by paramilitary troops who broke into a courthouse in Islamabad on Tuesday. The troops detained him on multiple charges of corruption brought by the National Accountability Bureau, the country’s anti-corruption agency. Khan was submitting his biometric data for a court appearance when the troops broke down a window to apprehend him.
A violent protest broke out in the city of Quetta after his arrest, where an Imran Khan supporter was shot dead by the police. Khan claimed that he was “detained on incorrect charges” and that he had been apprehended to prevent him from following his political path for the country’s fundamental rights. He has accused the current government of colluding with the military to remove him from office.
Pakistan is facing an acute economic crisis, and the government has been trying to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund to restart a $6.5 billion loan program. The program has stalled since November, and the fund has presented a set of conditions in exchange for the release of a $1.1 billion loan installment.
Youtube Censorship
YouTube, a popular video-sharing platform, has a set of Community Guidelines which it enforces to ensure that content on the platform is appropriate and acceptable. YouTube employs three primary methods to censor content that violates these guidelines. The first method is outright content removal, where YouTube will remove a video if it contains material that is deemed inappropriate or offensive.
The second method is channel removal through a three-strike system, which means that if a channel receives three strikes for violating the guidelines, it will be permanently removed from the platform. Lastly, demonetization is another significant way that YouTube censors content. This means that videos deemed unsuitable for advertisers will have their monetization removed, resulting in creators being unable to earn revenue from those videos.
Demonetization serves as a way for YouTube to discourage creators from posting content that could potentially harm the platform's reputation or violate Community Guidelines. Overall, YouTube's censorship measures aim to create a safe and appropriate environment for all users of the platform.
Why is Youtube not Working in Pakistan-FAQs
YouTube, along with other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, has been blocked by the Pakistani government in response to criticism over the arrest of Imran Khan, former Prime Minister and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
No, YouTube was previously blocked in Pakistan for more than three years from 2012 to 2015, after a controversial anti-Islam video was uploaded on the site, sparking widespread protests across the country.
Users have reported degraded internet services across the country, particularly when trying to access various social media platforms.
Those against the ban argue that it violates the freedom of expression and access to information, while the government has defended the move as necessary for maintaining law and order in the country.