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LHC shuts down Facebook in Pakistan
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday ordered the temporary blocking of the Facebook website until the next hearing...
Protestors hold placards during a rally in Karachi against Facebook page “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!” (AP)
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday ordered the temporary blocking of the Facebook website until the next hearing on May 31.
On the judge’s orders and in compliance with the orders of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoIT), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed all internet service providers to block Facebook till further orders. Both the petitioner Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ahmed and the PTA agreed to let the court make a decision after an initial hearing and a futile attempt to resolve the situation through mediation. Earlier, the petitioner had asked the court to order the PTA to immediately ban the use of Facebook in the country.
The popular social networking site, with 45 million users in Pakistan, has been the target of countrywide protests for hosting a caricature competition of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and for refusing to remove the page. As court proceedings began in Lahore, more than 50 emotionally-charged lawyers criticised PTA director Mudassir Hussain’s testimony regarding the impact of the site’s closure. Hussain said that it was impossible to block the website as it would hurt Pakistan’s economy, adding that the country could lose its internet facilities.
He said that the PTA had already blocked the link for the competition page since the evening of May 18. However contrary to his statement, lawyers presented in court a printout of the webpage taken after 10 pm on May 18, demonstrating that the webpage had not been blocked. Lawyers then proceeded to show the functioning page to the judge. Furthermore, Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique, chairman Judicial Activism Panel, argued before the court that Pakistani Muslims were ready to face any financial loss for the prevention of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (pbuh). After initial proceedings, the court asked both parties to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution.
Hussain said while he was a Muslim, steps to close down Facebook would bring a bad name to Pakistan in the world. Neither party could agree and finally decided to leave the decision to the court. Ahmed filed the petition on behalf of the Islamic Lawyers Movement. “According to Article 2-A of the Constitution, which says no practice against religion can be allowed in the country, the competition was illegal,” he said. LHC Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry has also ordered Ahmed and others to assist the court regarding international laws in the present case. Hussain has also been asked to file a detailed report.
Published in the Express Tribune, May 20th, 2010.
Reader Comments (22)
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Despite thousands of requests, they did not take the page down.
They are testing our beliefs, had we not banned Facebook or taken any action, they would have known that we don’t care about our religion. Let them know that our beliefs are still awake.Recommend
i am so happy that facebook is banned.
people who were addicted to facebook are so sad now… and i think they whould move on to twitter!
and yes one more thing, a KISS for the judge who took the decision :DRecommend
im proud of Pakistan. nothing comes before Our Beloved RAsool Allah (SalAllahu Aleyhi Wassalam)!Recommend
The judge who passed this righteous decision is my hero!Recommend
Pay my best regards to the Judges how took such a desicionRecommend
Well, just imagine where will be Facebook if all the Muslim countries do the same?Recommend
first of all i pay solute to the judge who took this decision.. & if all the muslim countries banned tha facebook… it wili b a great harm to their financial condition…Recommend
First of all I am proud to be a Muslim n Pakistani. Our judges have taken the right decision nothing can be considered above Muhammad (S.A.W)…it is indeed correct to ban facebook.. May Allah bless us allRecommend
I m very happy about facebook banned… it was good desion…Recommend
whatever Lahore high court did was a right decision. Nothing is great than Prophet (S.A.W)! we all Muslims love HIM. The people who do not respect our Prophet (S.A.W) will be punished in this world and hereafter.Recommend
i am so happy dat for da first tym pakistan hav taken a good decision and I AM PROUD TO BE A MUSLIMS……………. LUV U PAKISTAN <3Recommend
Asllam o Aliakum
Dear Judges.
We all Muslims from Pakistan are proud on you Sirs,
Please Block FaceBook & all other Sexual Web Sites from Pakistan.
Sir this is a Request for all Muslims to protect there IMAN & better Generation of ISLAM Especially Pakistan…
JAZAKALLAH
Zeeshan SandalRecommend
i request govt of pakistan to plz permanently ban on facebookRecommend
I being a muslim want to understand that why other Muslim coutries of the world have not reacted the similar way. Why Pakistan alone! It was something to the religion and not to Pakistan, then all Muslim countries should be together otherwise just going on Facebook cannot effect personal beliefs and respect should be in one’s heart. Pakistanis think that showing reaction is the only way to respect..We all should have a broader thinking shuld behave like other developed Muslim countries.Recommend
Indeed it is a perfect decision to block facebook we are proud of our judges who instructed PTA to do so. no one comes before Allah and Rasool(S.A.W)Recommend
Agreed Obviously they were testing your beliefs. No doubt facebook is an open forum and every one have full right to do what he/she wants to do but it doesnt mean that they start making fun of any religion. they always criticize Muslims now where is there concept of humanity?Recommend
We all Muslims from Pakistan are proud on you Sirs,
Please Block FaceBook & all other Sexual Web Sites from Pakistan.
Sir this is a Request for all Muslims to protect there IMAN & better Generation of ISLAM Especially Pakistan…
JAZAKALLAH
Zeeshan SandalRecommend
i m happy aloooooottttttttt…………… and proud to b pakistani.”A BRAVE NATION”Recommend
I am very impressed by the actions taken by LHC but I recommend that Facebook should be permanently shut down/restricted in Pakistan…Recommend
Ban on the facebook is first very good decision in pakistan. We muslim love our prophet Muhammad(S.A.W).and pakistan should take action against that pig. The aim of my life is to execute that person…..Recommend
A pointless ban of a few days which accomplished nothing. The courts in Pakistan are active in politics, not in adjudicating cases.Recommend
I am proud to be a Pakistani and thanks to LHC, I am even prouder that Pakistan was the only Muslim country to have taken such a step.I completely support the action taken against facebook.People who say that we haven’t achieved anything out of this ban and similar crap, maybe they don’t want to see what we have achieved.Firstly, the controversial page has been removed from facebook.Secondly, due to this ban,America and people responsible for this realised that we,Pakistanis, will not tolerate anything that is against our beloved Prophet S.A.W and they even apologised (which I think was what we wanted). Thirdly, by using facebook we were contributing to it becoming No.1 social networking site in the world and had Muslims all over the world stopped using facebook, we could have snatched the glory of being No.1 from it. Fourthly and most importantly, I feel content and satisfied that when I will be questioned about this at the day of judgement, I will not be unanswerable, I won’t be ashamed and I will have an answer that yes, I played my part in protecting the dignity of my beloved Prophet S.A.W.Recommend