NA approves resolution to unban YouTube

ISLAMABAD: A resolution was approved in the National Assembly (NA) to unblock video sharing website YouTube in Pakistan.

The resolution was presented by PPP MNA Shazia Marri who said that all Muslim countries had ended the ban on YouTube. Marri added that access to YouTube in Pakistan was available through proxies and it was now time to end the hypocrisy.

YouTube was blocked in Pakistan in September 2012 after it refused to remove blasphemous content on the request of the country’s government.

Treasury MNAs oppose lifting ban on YouTube

 

ISLAMABAD: The treasury members of the National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday opposed a resolution demanding the lifting of the ban on YouTube while another resolution, seeking an improvement and regulation in the curriculum of religious seminaries, was passed in the House. Both resolutions were tabled by Pakistan People’s Party MNAs from the opposition.
MNA Shazia Marri submitted the resolution seeking to lift the imposed YouTube ban. She was of the view that YouTube was accessible through proxy websites and there was no point in maintaining the ban. The resolution was opposed by the treasury members of the House while NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq delayed the matter.

Syed Naveed Qamar said, “We have agreed with the government to modify the resolution and move it next week.”Shazia Marri said that around one billion people were using YouTube across the world and students were also using it for their research work.

Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid said that the issue of YouTube was in the high court and a decision would be taken after the verdict of the court.Dr Arif Alvi also supported the idea of lifting the ban on the website after taking protective measures to remove objectionable material from it.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf on Tuesday apprised the NA that the government had launched the “Madrassa Reforms Scheme” to provide modern education along with religious teachings in Madrassas across the country. He said the reforms had been brought after a consensus amongst religious scholars of different school of thoughts.

There are 8,000 Madrassas in the country registered under this reforms scheme in which scientific education was being provided to students keeping in view the need of the hour, he said.Dr Nafisa Shah had moved a resolution in the Lower House urging the government to take adequate steps for regulating and improving the Madrassa education system, which was not opposed by the treasury benches. She was of the view that this kind of initiative would assist in bringing peace in the country.

She said majority of the Madrassas were playing a constructive role but many were also engaged in promoting sectarianism and extremism.She added that science should also be taught as a subject in religious schools.

S A Iqbal Qadri pointed out that the motion could not be adopted before discussion on the floor in detail.Speaker of NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that according to the rules of the House, it could be adopted and later it could be discussed from all aspects by the parliamentarians.

Opposition member from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Kishwar Zehra expressed dissatisfaction over the explanation given by Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar over the grant of $1.5 bn by a ‘friendly’ country.Moreover, the Awami Muslim League (AML) President Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed staged a walkout protesting the lack of quorum in the House.

Google may localise YouTube for Pakistani users

ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: A new arrangement with the management of Google/YouTube has brightened the chance of YouTube being unblocked in Pakistan.
If certain conditions of the Google management are met, YouTube will be accessible as YouTube.com.pk, a local search engine.
This was stated by Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunications Anusha Rehman at Senate Standing Committee on Tuesday.
She explained to the committee that the government had succeeded in convincing the Google management about religious sensitivities of Pakistanis.The local search engine will also make it easier to block any blasphemous or objectionable content, she said.
However, the management of Google will do so after the government of Pakistan meets some of its conditions, she maintained.
“Management of Google/YouTube has shown its willingness to localise YouTube in Pakistan provided they will not be held responsible if blasphemous content is placed and uploaded on its website,” the minister said.
“The web service will not be held responsible for blasphemous content uploaded on its sites as that will be a personal action of the individual,” the minister said while quoting the Google management.
“The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is finalising a draft ordinance which will be processed by the ministry for enactment as law,” said the minister.
Breaking the news to members of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, Anusha Rehman explained that once YouTube was localised, blocking objectionable content would be easier.
“Instead of installing costly filtration mechanisms, Google will easily be able to block blasphemous content on the request of the Pakistan government.
“Saudi Arabia and Malaysia have also reached a similar arrangement with Google,” Anusha Rehman said.
Localising YouTube would also mean that Google would not be violating its own company law of hindering freedom of expression, the state minister explained. This was also a request from the management of Google to the government of Pakistan.
The largest video sharing website was blocked on September 17, 2012 by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC).
The minister said a team was also being tasked in the PTA to monitor obnoxious content including blasphemy on the website.
Responding to a question from the members, the minister said she could not give an exact date for the re-opening of YouTube.
The new Chairman PTA Dr Ismail Shah however said: “It can be unblocked anytime; tomorrow or after weeks.”
According to Anusha Rehman, blocking thousands of links was also not a solution. “It can take Google five seconds to place certain blocked content from one internet protocol (IP) address to a new one,” she said explaining the technicalities.
A sub-committee was formed to investigate and assist the Ministry of Information Technology in speeding up the process to make YouTube accessible to Pakistani users.
Meanwhile, the Standing Committee also took up matters concerning auction of 3G which is likely to take place by first week of March 2014, according to Anusha Rehman.
Five consultants have been short-listed out of the seven international firms to ensure transparency in auction of 3G spectrum, the officials of the ministry informed the meeting.
Taking up other matters on the agenda, the committee expressed its dissatisfaction over poor utilisation of $62 billion lying under the Universal Services Funds (USF).
It also directed the ministry to check grey trafficking, which cost the government roughly $500 million monthly.