Google asked for money to remove blasphemous content from YouTube, says Senate Committee Chairman

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) - The Senate Standing Committee for Information Technology has recommended the federal government to take steps to unblock video sharing website Youtube.

The recommendation was made on Tuesday during a session headed by chairman standing committee, Senator Shahi Syed.

The chairman standing committee disclosed during the briefing that Google had demanded money to remove the blasphemous content from Youtube. On Pakistan's refusal they did not remove the controversial content.

The IT officials told the committee that dialogue process was underway with Google for establishment of a local version of YouTube.

The officials added that Youtube was banned on the instructions of Supreme Court and that it cannot be unblocked without permission of the court.

They also said there was no possible way to fully block the blasphemous content however the localization of Youtube will help in resolving the problem.

YouTube, one of the most celebrated video-sharing website was banned in Pakistan in September 2012 in the wake of its not removing the blasphemous movie that caused furious protests to demonstrate against it.

The apex court ruled at the time that the website company should be blocked until a way was discovered to block all blasphemous content.