ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan on Monday formally lifted ban from YouTube, over three years after it was blocked across the country over blasphemous content which sparked violent protests.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has directed all internet service providers (ISPs) to unblock the popular video sharing website.
Earlier, the Ministry of Information Technology issued a directive to the PTA to restore YouTube service within 48 hours.
Talking to media, the Ministry of Information Technology Spokesman Sagheer Anwar Wattoo and PTA officials confirmed that the directive was issued.
On Saturday, the PTA requested the Supreme Court of Pakistan to revoke a ban on YouTube after the website launched its localised version for Pakistan.
In its petition, the PTA informed the court that the Pakistani version of the website did not contain any sacrilegious material and there was no need to block YouTube now.
However, the PTA said, the authority will keep monitoring the online content on the video portal.
YouTube was blocked in Pakistan on September 18, 2012 after its administration and Google Incorporation refused to comply with a request by Islamabad and some other Muslim countries to remove a blasphemous video from the site.
It may be mentioned that YouTube ban has been a major issue for researchers and students in Pakistan and there was a big reaction from educationalists and students when YouTube was banned in Pakistan.
