Overview

• Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah granted the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing authority under Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act to block 27 channels for alleged anti-state content.
• The targeted channels include those run by former prime minister Imran Khan and journalists such as Matiullah Jan, Asad Toor, Orya Maqbool Jan and Arzoo Kazmi.
• Affected creators have received emails from YouTube warning that failure to respond to government complaints could lead to content restrictions or channel removal.
• Digital rights campaigners say the move undermines free expression in Pakistan and criticise the swift process for bypassing due process safeguards.
• The order reflects Pakistan’s broader use of cybercrime and telecom regulations to regulate political speech online and follows earlier PTA actions blocking channels and links over alleged anti-Pakistan propaganda.