Senators want to open YouTube in Pakistan

Good News ahead for YouTube lovers in Pakistan. Senate’s Functional Committee on
Human Rights observed today that the ban on YouTube hasn’t served the purpose and
that the blasphemous video, Innocence of Muslim, is still available on the video
sharing website and it was also accessible through number of proxy and VPN services,
free and paid.

The committee was chaired by Senator Afrasiab Khattak of Awami National Party (ANP)
who accepted a resolution submitted by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in favor of
lifting unblocking YouTube as over 20 months ban since September 2012 has only
deprived people from getting knowledgeable material.

In the session it was also recalled that Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority (PTA) had already advocated the point that Pakistan was the only
country where YouTube is ban. Other Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE
have the website running in their respective countries.
The committee decided to hold a special session on YouTube on May 5 2014.

It may turn out to be a good initiative by Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed who has
already presented a Cyber Security Council Bill 2014.
Industry experts have called this move a positive step as 3G and 4G auction is
just around the corner and post auction era will require heavy graphical content
such as online videos.