Facebook Banned / Blocked in Pakistan
Various groups on Facebook have called for users to boycott the networking site on May 20.
LAHORE: A Pakistani court ordered the government on Wednesday to block Facebook after press reports of a competition being held to draw the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), a lawyer said.
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Pakistani media recently reported that a caricature competition is being held on May 20 about the Prophet (PBUH) on Facebook.
“The court has ordered the government to immediately block Facebook until May 31 because of this blasphemous competition,” Azhar Siddique, a representative of the Islamic Lawyers Forum who filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, told Reuters.
“The court has also ordered the foreign ministry to investigate why such a competition is being held.”
A spokesman for the official telecommunications watchdog, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, said the government on Tuesday ordered Internet service providers to block websites showing these caricatures, but that they had not received the court orders as yet.
Any representation of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is deemed un-Islamic and blasphemous by Muslims.
But some warned the court’s response could backfire.
“Blocking the entire website would anger users, especially young and adults, because the social networking website is so popular among them and they spend most of their time on it,”
said the CEO of Nayatel, Wahaj-us-Siraj.
“Basically, our judges aren’t technically sound. They have just ordered it, but it should have been done in a better way by just blocking a particular URL or link.”
“The PTA’s decision (to block the URL) was rational and good, but let’s see how they will implement the court decision.”
On the information page on Facebook for the contest – which was still visible on Wednesday – the organizers described it as a “snarky” response to Muslim bloggers who “warned” the creators of the Comedy Central television show “South Park” over a recent depiction of the Prophet (PBUH) in a bear suit.
“We are not trying to slander the average Muslim,” the Facebook page creators wrote. “We simply want to show the extremists that threaten to harm people because of their Mohammad depictions that we’re not afraid of them. That they can’t take away our right to freedom of speech by trying to scare us into silence.”
Publications of similar cartoons in Danish newspapers in 2005 sparked deadly protests in Muslim countries. Around 50 people were killed during violent protests in Muslim countries in 2006 over the cartoons, five of them in Pakistan.
Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on Denmark’s embassy in Islamabad in 2008, killing six people, saying it was in revenge for publication of caricatures.
Thats first good decision by this govt. these websites should be permanently banned.
ab agar wo maafi bhi maangain gay to apna loss khatam krnay k liay. pakistani companies ko chahiay k un ko koi add na dain. we'll ruin them
Facebook was requested so many times to block this blasphemy page as it is not only hurting muslims but it is also against facebook terms of use. But they didn’t Ban it. If a page on holocaust was created it has been removed in few minutes without any delay. Here No freedom of speech laws applies. This clearly shows that facebook is also involved and supporting these blasphemy pages. Facebook is earning through advertisements shown to the visitors.
The only solution is to block FaceBook by muslim governments in their regions & de-activation of facebook user account by Muslim users until facebook blocks the blasphemy pages from their website. I request muslims from all around the world not only de-activate their facebook account but also send e-mails to the higher authorities in their countries & file petition in their local courts to get BAN facebook in their until they remove blasphemy pages.
Thanks for sharing this important code with us.Keep posting us informative post to us.
Facebook Admin Himself is Jewish , I bet there would be millions of ppls reported on that page , but was useless , So it was wise decision to block the entire website.
I find this is something should not be done..Specially when issue is created by handful of users…
Instead of banning facebook..they should have reported that page and let it deleted by Facebook admin..
What do you think? Is it justified to ban a website when system is abused by a handful of users?
it should be banned for good!!
Alham do lil lah,being a Muslim we know that this is very taufh time(subber)This is a test of Sabar.In Quran '' ALLAH SABAR KERNAY WALON KEY SATH HAI" Allah know what hour feelings and thinking.
Our Govt should take right dicision which represent our thinking.But we do not react .We can communicate(Its not easy but we have to do)
good step by goverment….
Assalamoalikum
Every one just talking about face book i am very happy that goverment took the step against it but U people are thinking about others sites which are not good for our Youth these sexual site should be blocked from Pakistan
I m leaving in Dubai, the goverment of UAE has blocked all sexual websites so why the pakistani goverment not taking action against it so sad
plz remove the add of face book below the page
There is no Facebook Plugins now … I have Uninstall-ed all Facebook plugins from ZemTv.Com
Not only facebook ban but Govt of Pakistan should take necessary steps against those who insult islam
I SEE MUSLIMS BEING ASHAMED OF FOLLOWING THE LIFE STYLE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD(PBUH)
How come you guys these non muslims to respect them?
Peaceful protest must be recorded. No violence in our own Country on the movable immovable properties of our countrymen should be made. Yes the act of the Sketch Makers and the Planners of this event is highly condemnable. Every Muslim should show his her Inner Love with Nabi-e-Karim PBUH.
Iqbal said at one place,
HAI JURM-EZAEEFI KE SAZA MARG-E-MUFAJAAT…….
and at another place
GHAIRAT HAI BARRI CHEEZ JANA-E-TAG-O-DAU MAI……
Blocking the URL is enough though not totally effective. Blocking the site is stupid. To fully block the objectionable material Internet has to be blocked. By the same logic all books should also be banned since Suleman Rushdi used this medium for his dirty things. We should be articulate in our response being the followers of the Prophet who let no stone unturned to spread his message even to those who he disliked personally because he was on mission to spread Allah's message. These mischiefs play with our feelings and we jump out mad to their pleasure. I am for a considered graceful response that would teach them such a lesson that either they start respecting us or don't dare such actions in the future
this z a much required and courageous step taken by lhr high court… v muslims nd pakistanis support their righteous action… and appeal to ban blasphemous sites like facebook for ever….
ban on facebook by high court is a radical step
its just a great to hear that pakistan government showed such a response yet it was too late……….they shud have banned it earlier but still happy over it…..i am frequent facebook user but got no objection over this desicion of our judiciary…….GEO PAKISTAN….
dear friends,
latast news ye ha ka ka lahore high court na face book ko GER-MOYAANA-MODDAT KA LIYE BAN KAR DIYA GAYA HA TILL FURTHER ORDER,
AB HO GA YE KA HUMARAY MULK KI IPS JO JEOS KA REMO-KARAM PER CHALTI HA ONKI BHERPOOR KOSHISH HO GI KA FACEBOOK PER SAY PABANDI OTH JAYEE .
LAKIN HUM YOUTH KO ISKA MUKABLA KARNA HO GA, OR TAMAM SOCIAL NETWORKS KO YE BATANA HO GA KA, AAP JIS TERHA KI AZAADI CHATAY HO WO HUMKO KABOOL NAHI.
face book must be ban not only in pakistan but also all over the world.
but our courts only ban it upto 31 may. this is ridiculous .
as a muslim we claim we are MUHAMMADI, and always ready to sacrifice for the honour of our PROPHET (P.B.U.H) , BUT what we are doing. such decision only entertain those types of social network who intensly involve in the blasphamy. they only ban it upto 31 may.
i think our govt and our nation must demand to the level of foriegn offices from the country where the face book is being lounched. and they must be questioned that what was the purpose of that irresponsible competition. why they are allowed for such type of competition.
is this a press freedom?? or you are promoting violence???
the whole world is being threatend by sucide attack, extreemism, war-mania. we have to promot only peace, religio-cultural reforms. but the hell is these idiots are doing???
it is block today….
dear admin,
why not u r removing FACEBOOK ADD from ur site.
We have Also Removed Every Facebook Plugins from ZemTv.Com . IF you find one please report us on http://www.zemtv.net/contact-us/
That idiot CEO of Nayatel, Wahaj-us-Siraj is teaching the judges…???
U block one URL, they will make a new page and since each page has a unique address, the new page will be accessible again, and they can put everything on it within a few minutes, and then these lazy bluffers will take a lot of time to block that new page…!
A representative of PTA said that we have to bear the results in case of blocking the whole website…
what the hell??? is it a free country??? they are afraid of blocking a site!
They seem to be one of the other side, not from our side…
the one and only solution for this evil is to permanently block the entire facebook domain/subdomain,
the rest is bullshit…!
plz remove the add of face book below the page
I am glad somebody made the right decison for once. We should all show we wont tolerate such mocking of our prophet. The people that still use it should be ashamed.
I am sorry for what CEO of Nayatel said. I would request him to visit his own public forum and go through the views of most of the youth who uses F Book and read what they say.
http://games.dsl.net.pk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&a…
we are very happy on dis decision …but i suggest u to block dis website forever …………..geo pakistan
Why just block FB till 31st of may ? Either you leave it forever or use it against them {by spreading the true meaning of Islam and the real character of the Beloved Prophet (SAW) } rather than playing stupid farmville and all those worthless aplications … this wont change a thing in my opinion …….Our muslim brothers and sisters are sleeping and they die for Facebook rather than the Rasool (SAW) …..
I ask those 200,000 fans of Musharaf to recite drood shareef on thsi Draw Muhammad day.I am going to recite Drood shareef more than 100 times at least.This is the best way to show your love with the greatest of mankind and Holiest of prophets.Lets join