Pakistan court orders YouTube to block channels of ex-PM Imran Khan, journalists

Pakistan court orders YouTube to block channels of ex-PM Imran Khan, journalists
Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan's supporters wear scarves with prints of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party as they listen to a virtual election campaign on phones at Khan's PTI office in Islamabad on February 3, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 08 July 2025
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Pakistan court orders YouTube to block channels of ex-PM Imran Khan, journalists

Pakistan court orders YouTube to block channels of ex-PM Imran Khan, journalists
  • YouTube notifies journalists of court order, warns action may follow without further notice
  • The order from a district magistrate directs the platform to block 27 YouTube channels

KARACHI: A number of Pakistani journalists said on Tuesday they received notifications from YouTube, citing a court order from Islamabad directing the blocking of their channels, along with those of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

According to notices seen by Arab News, the US-based video-sharing platform said it had received a legal removal request referencing a court order dated June 24, 2025, in Enquiry No. 717/2025.

The list of affected channels includes those of senior journalists Matiullah Jan, Habib Akram, Sabir Shakir, Asad Ali Toor, Ahmed Noorani and at least 20 others, alongside Khan’s and PTI’s official YouTube channels.

Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide to Khan, told Arab News by phone that PTI’s channels had not yet received any formal notification. However, several journalists confirmed receiving takedown notices via YouTube and vowed to challenge the court’s directive.

“I am in contact with fellow journalists whose channels have been served with similar notices, and we intend to challenge this in court,” said Habib Akram, a Lahore-based anchor and political commentator, adding the order had been issued without any prior notice or summons from the Islamabad court.

“The decision appears to lack any clear legal basis and seems to be an apparent attempt to suppress independent journalism,” he added.

The order, issued by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah in Islamabad, instructed YouTube’s parent company, Google LLC, to block 27 channels for allegedly violating Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and other penal laws.

“You may choose to act on the said content in term of the aforesaid court order,” read a notice issued by YouTube. “If you fail to do so, as per our local law obligation, we may comply with the request without further notice to you.”

Asad Ali Toor, a journalist based in Islamabad whose name appears on the list, criticized both the court and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for acting without giving him a chance to be heard.

“For the past three months, NCCIA has also frozen my and my family’s bank accounts without any hearing,” he said.

Toor attributed such actions to his “critical reporting” on sensitive issues like enforced disappearances and institutional overreach. He said he had previously received notices about specific videos, but this was the first time his entire channel had been targeted.

Matiullah Jan voiced concern about the broader implications of the move.

“I believe YouTube should not block any channel solely on the basis of an inquiry without a court order,” he said. “If this becomes a norm, it could set a dangerous precedent globally.”

Despite multiple requests, the Ministries of Interior and Information & Broadcasting did not respond to Arab News queries seeking clarification on the government’s role in the matter or the legal grounds for the request to YouTube.

The court order referenced by YouTube states that during an inquiry under Section 94 of the Criminal Procedure Code, “evidence regarding YouTube channels” was deemed necessary, and their content constituted offenses under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws.

Digital rights groups and press freedom watchdogs have frequently criticized the Pakistani government for using vague legal provisions to stifle dissent. In its 2024 report, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Pakistan 152nd out of 180 countries on the World Press

Freedom Index, citing growing censorship, legal harassment of journalists, and tightening control over digital platforms.

Journalists now fear the court-backed move could deepen digital censorship in the country.

“We are not only being silenced, but also criminalized for doing our job,” said Toor. “This is not just about YouTube. It’s about the future of press freedom in Pakistan.”


Pakistan condoles passing of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid

Pakistan condoles passing of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid
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Pakistan condoles passing of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid

Pakistan condoles passing of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid
  • Prince Alwaleed passed away after spending over two decades in a coma on July 19
  • His courageous struggle drew admiration from many across world, says Shehbaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences at the recent passing of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Monday, noting that his “courageous” struggle drew admiration and prayers from across the world. 

Prince Alwaleed passed away on July 19 after spending more than two decades in a coma following a traumatic car accident.

As per media reports, the Saudi prince received urgent medical care from specialized American and Spanish physicians but never regained full consciousness.

“Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid bin Talal,” Sharif wrote on the social media platform X. 

“His long and courageous struggle drew admiration and prayers from many across the world.”

The Pakistani premier offered condolences to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi royal family and the people of Saudi Arabia on the prince’s passing. 

“May Allah grant him exalted ranks in Jannah,” Sharif concluded. 

Prince Alwaleed’s funeral prayers were held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh on July 20, as per the Saudi Press Agency. 


Pakistan deputy PM in New York for UN conference on Palestine, multilateral meetings

Pakistan deputy PM in New York for UN conference on Palestine, multilateral meetings
Updated 21 July 2025
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Pakistan deputy PM in New York for UN conference on Palestine, multilateral meetings

Pakistan deputy PM in New York for UN conference on Palestine, multilateral meetings
  • Ishaq Dar will hold bilateral and multilateral meetings in New York, Washington from July 21-28
  • International conference is being organized, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France in New York 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in New York on Monday to attend a United Nations conference to discuss Palestinian statehood and hold multilateral meetings in the city, the foreign office said. 

The High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution is being co-chaired and organized by Saudi Arabia and France. 

The event, convened by the UN General Assembly, will take place at the UN headquarters in New York on July 28. The aim is the urgent adoption of concrete measures that will lead to the implementation of a two-state solution and end decades of conflict in the Middle East.

“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, arrived in New York for an official visit from 21 to 28 July 2025,” the Pakistani foreign office said. 

The statement said Dar would lead “high-level signature events” under Pakistan’s presidency of the UN Security Council and hold bilateral and multilateral meetings in New York and Washington during his stay.

“And represent Pakistan at the International Conference on the Two-State Solution, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia & France,” the foreign office added. 

Pakistan has consistently supported Palestinian statehood and called for an end to Israeli occupation in various multilateral forums.

Israel has killed nearly 59,000 Palestinians since October 2023 in Gaza, triggering anger and outrage from countries around the world who have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. 

Islamabad has demanded an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and for Israel to allow access to food and humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. 

 


Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage

Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage
Updated 21 July 2025
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Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage

Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage
  • Viral video clip shows couple being shot at by armed men for marrying of their choice
  • Balochistan chief minister says operation ongoing, vows all those involved will be arrested

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have arrested 11 suspects for their involvement in the recent “honor killing” of a couple in the southwestern Balochistan province, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Monday after a disturbing video of the incident went viral online last week.

The provincial government sprang into action on Sunday after a video clip, which shows a couple in Balochistan being shot at by armed men for marrying of their choice, sparked nationwide outrage and calls for bringing the perpetrators to justice. 

Bugti had taken to social media on Sunday to announce that one person had been arrested in connection with the incident. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind had said the incident captured in the viral video had taken place in Balochistan around Eid Al-Adha. 

“Update: So far, 11 suspects have been arrested and the operation is ongoing,” the Balochistan chief minister wrote on X.

“All those involved will be brought to justice. The state stands with the oppressed.”

So-called honor killings are common in Pakistan, where family members and relatives sometimes kill women and men who don’t follow local traditions and culture or decide to marry of their own choice.

Rind had said on Sunday that families of both victims had not reported the incident, vowing that the government would register a case over the incident with the state as a complainant.

The couple had been executed on the orders of a jirga, a council of tribal elders, according to reports. Rind said authorities had taken the suspects’ data after their identification through the viral video clip.

The incident also prompted condemnation from the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), a group of clerics and religious scholars, who said the killing of a woman or a man in the name of honor is “un-Islamic, anti-Sharia and terrorism.”

The PUC said “terrorism” cases should be filed against people involved in such incidents.

“Pakistan Ulema Council demands of Chief Minister Balochistan, Governor Balochistan and IGP Balochistan to arrest the culprits who killed a woman under ‘honor killing’ as depicted in a viral video on social media,” the council said in a statement on Sunday. 


Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216

Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216
Updated 21 July 2025
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Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216

Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216
  • Pakistan’s Met Office has warned that monsoon currents are likely to “intensify” across country from July 20
  • Punjab has reported highest number of deaths since June 26, 135, followed by 42 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities braced for more rainfall on Monday as the death toll from rain-related incidents in the country since late June rose to 216, according to official data. 

As per the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) latest situation report, 216 people have been killed in total since June 26 in rain-related incidents across Pakistan. Among the 216 casualties, 101 are children, 75 males and 40 females.

Punjab reported the highest number of deaths, 135, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 42, Sindh 21, Balochistan 16 while Azad Kashmir and Islamabad each reported a single death.

“Rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, North-East Punjab, Potohar region, Gilgit-Baltistan, North-East/South Balochistan and South Sindh,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) wrote on its daily forecast for Monday. 

“Isolated heavy falls are expected in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas during the period,” it added. 

Pakistan’s Met Office warned in a press release on July 18 that monsoon currents penetrating Sindh and upper parts of the country are likely to “intensify” in the upper and central parts of the country from July 20.

Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia on Sunday instructed district administrations to remain on high alert during the fourth spell of monsoon rains, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said. 

“There is a risk of urban and flash flooding due to heavy rains,” it added. 

Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September.

The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns are turning the rains into a destructive force.

In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains combined with glacial melt submerged nearly a third of Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people and displacing over 8 million. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.

 


Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan

Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan
Updated 21 July 2025
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Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan

Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan
  • Clash broke out among Achakzai, Kakar tribes in Killa Abdulah district over an old dispute, says official
  • Says both rival parties agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Levies, FC Balochistan and tribal elders

QUETTA: Five people were killed while seven others were injured in Pakistan’s southwestern Killa Abdullah district on Sunday after an armed clash between two tribes, a senior official said. 

The clash broke out on Sunday evening between members of the ethnic Pashtun tribes of Achakzai and Kakar, lasting for several hours before tribal elders, the paramilitary Levies force and Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan brokered a ceasefire between them.

“Five people have been killed and seven injured in the latest clashes that erupted between Achakzai and Kakar tribesmen in Killa Abdullah district,” Shahzaib Kakar, commissioner of Quetta Division, told Arab News on Sunday. 

He said members of both tribes were involved in “an old tribal dispute,” adding that both sides agreed to a ceasefire after security forces arrived in the area. 

Hayat Achakzai, a local journalist based in Killa Abdullah district, said clashes broke out at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday when members of both tribes came face to face at the district’s Tot Adda area.

“Both tribes were engaged in a dispute since March 2025 following a motorbike snatching,” Achakzai said. “They were chasing each other for the last two weeks but today met with an armed clash.”

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land mass but its most backward one by almost all social and economic indicators, has a strong tribal system with powerful chieftains. 

Disputes between rival tribes over honor, land and decades-old feuds are common here, often resulting in armed clashes. 

Ethnic Baloch militant groups have launched a low-level insurgency against the state for years in Balochistan, accusing Islamabad of exploiting the province’s mineral resources and denying locals a share in it.

The government denies the allegations and points to health, development and educational projects that it says have been launched to empower the people of Balochistan.