NEW DELHI: The Pakistan National Assembly is expected to take a final decision on 8 April to ask the government to re-open YouTube in the country in matter of two months with necessary safeguards. 

This follows a sizable number of members having moved resolutions for lifting the 18-month ban.

However, the matter has been put off to 8 April in view of the pending case on reopening of YouTube in Lahore High Court.

A resolution was moved by Pakistan People’s Party member Shazia Marri that asked the government for re-opening of YouTube immediately, particularly since the objectionable video ‘Innocence of Muslims’ had been removed.

Later Awab Alvi from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also advocated the opening of YouTube, according to the Pakistani web portal MoreMagazine.

An amendment moved by Awais Leghari of the PML-N deleted the word “immediate” and gave the government up to two months to remove the ban “with adequate safeguards”.

With the ban on Youtube, famous singer Ali Gul Pir has released a song Kholo BC to mock government for its inability to lift the ban on such a useful online platform. With main focus on YouTube Ban, Ali and his fellow artiste Adil Omer has touched upon various issues related to Pakistani society, its Youth and the dichotomy present in the behavior of its ruling elite.

Interestingly, this resolution comes at a time when an international survey has revealed that just around 22 per cent of Pakistanis want a free internet.