NCCIA’s request for shutting down YouTube accounts approved; PTI, Imran Khan on list

ISLAMABAD: Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah has issued a direct order to YouTube to remove 27 YouTube channels from YouTube. The NCCIA Cyber Crime Circle had requested the Judicial Magistrate to block the said Youtube accounts in Pakistan, for “publicly disseminating/propagating false, misleading and fake information against the State Institutions/officials”.

The request by the NCCIA was made after the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) inquiry on June 2, while the Judicial Magistrate’s order was issued on June 24. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is a specialised agency for combating cybercrime, in replacement of the Cybercrime Wing of the FIA.

The list of accounts identified by NCCIA includes the YouTube channel of the opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as well as renowned journalists such as Habib Akram, Ahmad Noorani, Sabir Shakir and Moeed Pirzada among others. The YouTube account of incarcerated former premier and founder of PTI Imran Khan is also in the list submitted by the NCCIA.

The NCCIA’s letter requests the judicial magistrate that a “subpoena/warrant may kindly be issued to ‘Google LLC, D/B/A YouTube 901 Cheery Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066 USA’ for removal/blocking of the aforementioned youtube channels.”

That NCCIA Cyber Crime Circle had written in the request that an inquiry had been conducted regarding Youtube channels “involved in disseminating and propagating fake and misleading information against the State Institutions which is likely to cause fear, panic, disorder or unrest in the general public or society along with defamatory and fake remarks/information, which violates the privacy and harms the dignity of the Officials of State Institutions.”

The request includes 27 such YouTube channels that were “found involved in sharing highly intimidating, provocative and derogatory contents against State Institutions and Officials of State of Pakistan.” The NCCIA also said that through these channels, the accused attempted to provoke the general public and armed forces personnel by trying to create a feeling of ill-will among pillars of the State.

Full list of channels to be blocked, as recommended by NCCIA is as follows:

Haider Mehdi, Siddique Jaan, Sabee Kazmi, Orya Maqbool Jan, Arzoo Kazmi, Rana Uzair Speaks, Sajid Gondal, Habib Akram, Matiullah Jan MJtv, Asad Toor Uncensored, Imran Riaz Khan, Naya Pakistan, Sabir Shakir, Imran Khan, Aftab Iqbal, Real entertainment tv, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Daily Qudrat, Abdul Qadir, Charsadda Journalist, Naila Pakistani Reaction, Wajahat Saeed Khan Youtube, Ahmad Noorani Youtube, Nazar Chohan Youtube, Moeed Pirzada Youtube, Makhdoom Shahabud Din youtube, and Shayan Ali youtube.

Also read: PTA shuts down 3,248 YouTube channels involved in anti-state campaigns