WEBDESK: Islamabad court has ordered the blocking of 27 YouTube channels on the request of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The order was issued by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah, who heard the case concerning content allegedly against the state. According to the court order, the FIA launched an inquiry into the matter on 2 June 2025 and, after reviewing the evidence, found grounds to proceed under the law.
In its ruling, the court directed the YouTube officer in charge to block the 27 channels named in the FIA’s request. The court expressed satisfaction over the evidence provided by the agency regarding the content allegedly spreading anti-state narratives.
Prominent Pakistani Journalists Among 27 YouTube Channels Ordered to Be Blocked
Reports suggest that among the 27 channels targeted are those operated by several well-known Pakistani journalists and commentators, including Imran Riaz Khan, Moeed Pirzada, Ahmad Noorani, Wajahat Saeed, Sabir Shakir, Matiullah Jan, Asad Toor, Siddique Jan, and Orya Maqbool Jan.
It is being reported that YouTube has begun issuing warning notices to these content creators via email, indicating that failure to respond may result in unilateral action and the removal of their channels at the request of the government.
The move has sparked strong reactions on social media, with supporters of press freedom criticising the decision as a clampdown on dissenting voices in Pakistan’s digital space.
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