The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the parties in response to plea urging for unblocking video-sharing website "YouTube" in Pakistan. Pakistan had blocked You Tube in September 2012, over hosting of a blasphemous movie "Innocence of Muslims" that ignited furious protests around the world.
Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Watan Party had invoked the Supreme Court jurisdiction under Articles 4,8,9,19,19-A and 25 making Federation through Secretary Ministry of Law Justice Human Rights, Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Secretary of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority as respondents.
He submitted that due to prolonged ban on You Tube in Pakistan, students and researchers are facing irreparable loss, adding that the ban on access to this useful website is tantamount to keeping citizens away from modern technology and knowledge. Terming the ban on You Tube a severe violation of the Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan, Barrister Zafarullah Khan said that ban on the video-sharing website means the government is trying to push the country in dark ages.
It is pertinent to mention that earlier the apex court had ruled that the website should be banned until a way was found to block all blasphemous content. On Thursday, taking up the matter through a supplementary cause list after accepting an application for early hearing in the matter, a three-member judge bench led by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali issued notices to all the parties of the case. Hearing of the matter was adjourned for indefinite period.
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