Minister of State for Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications Anusha Rahman Khan warned on Saturday that Google could also be banned in Pakistan if it did not remove objectionable and blasphemous content which led to the ban on YouTube.
She passed this statement on her first day in office while referring to a YouTube ban that was levied on the video-sharing website after it hosted clips from the controversial film, “Innocence of Muslims”. It sparked violent protests across the country, leading to a nine-month ban on the website that remains in effect.
Google, the parent company of YouTube, has persisted in its stance of not removing content the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government thought was objectionable.
Khan stated that she hoped Google might be more willing to lend the new Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government an ear.
“It all depends on our negotiation clout. If they persist with their stance, we can block Google in Pakistan as a last resort as there are many alternative search engines available on the web,” she reportedly said.
The PPP-led government had earlier sanctioned a day of protests in September last year after “Innocence of Muslims” triggered a series of violent protests by conservative groups across Pakistan.
The PML-N government has stated that the restoration of YouTube with filters in place to screen objectionable and blasphemous content would be one of its priorities.
Khan added that the IT ministry could have done a better job of devising a filtration system during the past nine months.
“Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) is just an enforcement body. Our ministry is responsible for policy decisions, so it’s our job to ensure reopening of YouTube as soon as possible with thorough screening of objectionable material. I will immediately start work on it after a presentation by ministry officials on Monday,” said the new minister.
The government is set to make all efforts needed to actualise a proper filtration system to reopen YouTube.
“We will pump in extra money if needed and do whatever is in our capacity to bring YouTube back to Pakistan without compromising our ethical values,” the IT minister said.
Google will be requested to either remove the objectionable content or at least ensure that it’s not viewable in Pakistan, she added.
“We cannot face the embarrassment of opening the website and closing it again after protests. We have to ensure that a proper filtration system is in place before we open the website,” she added.
google punjab kay kisi NA ki seat ka nam nei hai madam, jahan ap apna RO laga kar apni marzi ka nateeja hasil karna chah rahi hain ………
jahil, nalaik, and stupid politians. BAN BAN BAN BAN BAN BAN
aur kuch aata hi nhi inko.
Bahut kuch aur aata hai, jaisey money laundering, continued load shedding, high inflation , high bae rooz garey . jhoot boolna allah janey aur bahut kuch.
There is more blasphemous material in the comments posted in 'Nation' newspaper yet no one has banned it.The Editor and Moderator should be made to answer Mme IT Minister. By your first statement you have shown your total unsuitability for the job.Do not waste public money.Just go away.
is she in her senses??what a stupid decision?
plz open youtube. its help allot in study.
Do not ban Google, as it is most used Search Engine worldwide. Ban on YouTube should carry on till a reliable a filtration system to screen the blasphemous and objectionable content is devised.
paypal be ban hai pakistan ma pakistani internet par earning be nae kar sakta .saree dunya accept karti hia paypal ko inn gan…………………. ban kiya hoa hia
Stupidity knows no limits, does it? But what else to expect from these yo-yos.
Her statement itself PROVES she has never used a computer (except for Facebook maybe, probably only on her BlackBerry or iPhone, which too has the same material, btw)
You can well imagine the "taraki" Pakistan will do in the IT field in the next 5 years…..
ON EDIT: Yup…she has a self-promoting Facebook Page that you can visit 🙂
I would ask the new Government to force Google to remove that movie from you tube instead of putting filters. There are many Muslims live in different countries where this movie is not banned. Please ask Google to take that movie off from their website.
Google had removed unethical movies in the past which concerned other religions like Jewish. Which I understand fully under a freedom of speech no one is allowed to insult and disrespect prophets and religious leaders.
Name the Google "Google-Al-Sharif " in order to avoid ban on Google in Pakistan
Well five fingers are not equal.. if they are very macho decision maker so FIRST OF ALL ANY WAY .ANY WHERE CLOSE THE LINK of GOOGLE TRENDS.. yOU KNOW people they hav some code of findings by which they ascertain what a thinking of pakistanis
these days about or even they easily monitoring us.. even what i m composing
The thing is simple… These politicians and legal high authorities do not even know the "e" of education. Google and YouTube are literally containing treasures of knowledge in them and it is to be understood that the internet is not the backyard owned by anyone, everyone has the right to use it in any way he/she wishes to. Just because it contains something that offends you, doesn't mean you just neglect all the educational benefits it is providing you for free… The research and information which any school or college in Pakistan cannot even imagine to provide to the youth, Google and YouTube are the ones giving that information away in a secular manner. Today that film is on YouTube and Google, tomorrow it will also be shared all over Facebook, MySpace, Tagged and other social networks, the day after tomorrow it will be advertised all over the internet on every paid website there is… Are these high authorities really stupid enough that they would ban the whole internet in Pakistan just because one simple content that offends them!? Why don't they make a home for themselves in Thar or Sahara deserts where there will be no one to make or share any blasphemous content at all? Live like your Prophet already! Wrap yourselves with thick sheets of clothes rather than wearing Shalwar Kameez, trousers, pants and T-shirts! Throw that mobile phone away which was created by the same infidels and disbelievers whom you condemn! This act of putting bans on websites is completely out of hypocrisy, a ridiculous attempt to show that Pakistan is more "Muslim" than everyone.
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