PTA Wants to Take Action Against These Pakistani YouTubers for Anti-State Content

Amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India, a wave of anti-state content and hate speech has emerged on social media, particularly on YouTube, where several bloggers, both domestic and overseas, have allegedly been involved in spreading fake news and targeted campaigns against Pakistan and its institutions. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has stated that it is actively working to curb the spread of such content, although its mandate is limited to the removal and blocking of illegal online material, while legal action falls under the jurisdiction of law enforcement agencies. According to the PTA spokesperson, the authority has so far blocked a total of 119,496 URLs for spreading content against Pakistan’s security and national integrity, including 3,248 YouTube URLs. When asked about foreign-based YouTube channels involved in such campaigns, the spokesperson confirmed that a list of URLs has been sent to YouTube for action. However, the details of these lists cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality policies. On Pakistan’s request, YouTube has so far blocked 68 Indian YouTube channels from being accessible within Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistani YouTubers Ahmad Noorani and Waqar Malik have also had their channels blocked locally at the government’s request. The spokesperson confirmed that these channels are no longer accessible from within Pakistan, even though some users claim they are still operational. Regarding the controversial Pakistani vloggers Imran Riaz, Sabir Shakir, Siddique Jan, and Shahbaz Gill, the PTA spokesperson said that the matter is under review, and any action will be taken in accordance with government instructions. However, the PTA clarified that it does not have authority over arrests or the filing of legal cases against individuals running such campaigns; this falls under the domain of law enforcement bodies. The PTA stated that multiple legal provisions including the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), and the Constitution of Pakistan can apply to such offenses. The nature and severity of the content determine the punishment, which may include imprisonment, fines, or both. The PTA added that it continues to monitor hate-driven and anti-state content online and remains committed to safeguarding national interests in the digital space.