On September 11, an Islamabad district and sessions court, led by Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka overturned a previous lower court’s decision to block 11 YouTube channels. This decision came after the channels, run by journalists and social media influencers both within Pakistan and abroad, were accused of broadcasting “fake, misleading, and defamatory” content against the government and armed forces.

The controversy began in June when Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah ordered the closure of 27 YouTube channels following a request from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The affected channels included those of journalists, political commentators, and former anchors such as Matiullah Jan, Wajahat Khan, Ahmad Noorani, Asad Ali Toor, Imran Riaz, Orya Maqbool Jan, Sabir Shakir, and Moeed Pirzada.

The affected content creators subsequently appealed the magistrate’s decision. During the hearings, Judge Majoka expressed significant dissatisfaction with the NCCIA’s approach, accusing them of overstepping their boundaries and attempting to shift their responsibilities onto the judiciary. He questioned the legal basis on which the channels were blocked and warned against efforts to malign the judiciary.

Ultimately, Judge Majoka accepted the appeals of 11 petitioners and declared the lower court’s order null and void. He emphasized that the court would not entertain petitions without proper legal representation, and those absent would face dismissal for non-compliance.