The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has denied reports claiming it prepared a list of YouTube channels and is waiting for government approval to block them for allegedly running campaigns against state institutions.
In a clarification, the PTA said it has not compiled any such list. It added that its role is limited to removing or blocking illegal online content, as defined under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 and its related rules.
The authority also clarified that legal action, investigations, and judicial measures related to hate speech or anti-state content fall under the jurisdiction of relevant law enforcement agencies.
The clarification followed a news report claiming that the PTA had identified several YouTubers critical of state institutions and had sought government permission to block their channels. The report named Imran Riaz Khan, Sabir Shakir, Siddique Jan, and Shahbaz Gill among those under scrutiny. It also stated that the YouTube channels of journalist Ahmed Noorani and commentator Waqar Malik are already inaccessible in Pakistan.
According to the same report, the PTA has asked YouTube to remove accounts promoting what it describes as anti-state narratives. So far, the authority has blocked 3,248 YouTube channels for spreading anti-Pakistan content. In total, the PTA has blocked 119,496 URLs containing unlawful or harmful material, news report said.
