Islamabad: (PPF) On July 12, an Islamabad district and sessions court suspended an earlier order issued by a judicial magistrate to block 27 YouTube channels, granting relief to multiple petitioners, including journalists and content creators. 

The court took up appeals from six additional individuals challenging the same order. Relief was granted to five of them: Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Orya Maqbool Jan, Abdul Qadir, Uzair Anwar, and Umair Rafique. The court adjourned proceedings on the petition filed by Habib Akram until July 14, citing the petitioner’s unavailability. 

A day earlier, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard revision petitions filed by journalists Matiullah Jan and Asad Ali Toor. The judge suspended the blocking order in their cases, issuing one-page written orders for each. 

The suspensions follow a lower court order directing YouTube to block 27 channels for allegedly spreading “fake, misleading, and defamatory” content against the government and armed forces. The accounts in question were operated by journalists, political commentators, and influencers based in Pakistan and abroad. 

The petitioners argued that the ban was imposed without prior notice, violating Article 10-A of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing. The court acknowledged the absence of notices and noted that the issue warrants further legal examination.