Pakistan on Monday lifted a years-long ban on video-sharing site YouTube after Google launched a country-specific version ensuring the filtering out of content deemed blasphemous.
The Supreme Court in 2012 had ordered a ban on the site after the Innocence of Muslims was uploaded.
The American-made film depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a thuggish deviant and triggered protests across the Muslim world – including in Pakistan, where more than 20 people died in demonstrations.
Blasphemy is a contentious issue in Pakistan and the country has seen violent riots sparked by content considered offensive to Islam.
But last week Google said it had launched a localised version of the site in Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, meaning Pakistani authorities can now ask Google to remove content deemed objectionable.
On Monday authorities said the ban had been lifted.
“Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Monday directed the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to unblock YouTube with immediate effect,” a senior government official said.