An Islamabad District and Sessions Court on Friday temporarily lifted the government‑ordered ban on the YouTube channels of journalists Matiullah Jan and Asad Ali Toor, ruling that the initial blocking order violated their right to due process.
In late June, a judicial magistrate directed YouTube to block 27 channels accused of disseminating “fake, misleading and defamatory” content about the government and armed forces. The channels included those run by political commentators and independent journalists both inside Pakistan and abroad. The order was issued at the request of the Federal Investigation Agency’s cybercrime unit under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
Last week, Mr Jan and Mr Toor each filed revision petitions before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka. In two succinct one‑page decisions, the judge noted that neither petitioner had received prior notice of the blocking order, nor been given an opportunity to defend their content. He concluded that this omission contravened Article 10‑A of the Constitution, which guarantees fair trial rights, and questioned whether the magistrate court had jurisdiction in the matter.
“Hence, instant revision petition is admitted for regular hearing,” the judge ruled, suspending the ban on both channels until the next hearing, scheduled for 21 July. The court also issued notices to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency to present its defence at that time.
Matiullah Jan confirmed the court’s decision in a post on X, urging YouTube to halt the channel takedown process. Toor described the ruling as “a big victory” and thanked his legal team, led by Imaan Zainab Mazari‑Hazir, for securing the interim reprieve.
????????#BREAKING: In a big victory, Additional session judge Afzal Majoka “SUSPENDS” judicial magistrate Abbas Shah order to @YouTube ban youtube channels Asad Toor UNCENSORED and @Matiullahjan919 MJtv. We are honoured to represented by @riasataliazad24, @zainabjanjua1,… pic.twitter.com/NTWujjYRSz
— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) July 11, 2025
بریکنگ نیوز :
— Matiullah Jan (@Matiullahjan919) July 11, 2025
ایڈیشنل ڈسٹرکٹ اینڈ سیشن جج ویسٹ محمد افضل مجوکہ کی عدالت نے مطیع اللہ جان اور اسد طور کی درخواست پر اُنکے @youtube چینلز https://t.co/69qvuYESUt
اورhttps://t.co/FbrtZX2Gym
کو بند کرنے کا سپیشل مجسٹریٹ عباس شاہ کا حکم معطل کر دیا ہے جسکے بعد یو ٹیب انتظامیہ کو… pic.twitter.com/sNZMs2UI7b
Digital rights and legal groups welcomed the development. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the Forum for Digital Rights and Democracy and the Supreme Court Bar Association had condemned the original order as a “blatant violation” of freedom of expression. They argued that blanket blocking of entire channels, rather than targeting specific content, risks equating legitimate dissent with criminal behaviour.
The suspension applies only to the two petitioners; the remaining 25 channels remain blocked pending their own revision petitions. Observers caution that the government may appeal Judge Majoka’s order or pursue fresh legal action under cybercrime statutes. For now, however, Matiullah Jan and Toor’s channels remain accessible, offering a narrow but symbolically significant victory for press freedom in Pakistan.