A district and sessions court in Islamabad has overturned a judicial magistrate’s order to block several YouTube channels, favoring petitions filed by various content creators.
The case originated from a directive issued by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah on July 8, ordering the blocking of 27 YouTube channels for featuring anti-state material. Among the channels were those run by journalists such as Orya Maqbool Jan, Aftab Iqbal, Matiullah Jan, Imran Riaz Khan, and Asad Toor.
Eleven affected YouTubers lodged appeals against the ruling, which were collectively considered by Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka. On Thursday, the court delivered its reserved judgment, partially canceling the earlier decision and declaring the blocking order invalid for the petitioners.
During the proceedings, Judge Majoka probed the prosecutor from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) regarding the legal basis for the restriction of the channels. He expressed discontent with the agency’s management of the situation, noting that the prosecutor was attempting to shift accountability onto the court. The judge warned against any attempts to defame members of the judiciary and requested clarification on the authority under which the channels had been removed.
The petitions were considered only for those who were present in court or had legal representation. The court clarified that applications without representatives would not be processed further and would be dismissed.
The ruling provides relief to the eleven petitioners, including prominent journalists and commentators, while the larger question of channel restrictions continues to be addressed through ongoing legal processes.