Petitioner says inappropriate content is easily available, should be blocked by PTA.
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday sought a reply from Secretary Ministry of Information and Technology and Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in relation to a petition filed by Advocate Babar Awan seeking the blockage of websites containing blasphemous and pornographic content.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed the respondents to submit their replies in one week, after Awan informed the court that the information ministry had issued a notification on May 31, 2012 directing PTA to take required measures to block such websites.
Siddiqui said that seven months have passed but the PTA has failed to implement the orders.
The petitioner added that he filed an application before the authority but received no response.
He informed the court that the PTA is a regulatory authority with adequate powers however it has failed to block the content.
The petitioner contended that the PTA is bound to implement the directives calling for removal of inappropriate content and creation of a monitoring cell. He said the pornographic content was easily available and can be accessed through sites, search engines and host sites. Despite YouTube’s ban, the petitioner said such content can be viewed through host sites or software.
He said that the PTA has failed to purchase software that can easily monitor such content.
COMMENTS (29)
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Salman - Same as gp65, I do not have a stake in Pakistan and its people. But since this thread is started, does your High/Supreme Court (and ours as well) have a definition for pornography?
The U.S. Supreme Court tried to narrow it down in vain and finally came to the conclusion that pornography cannot be defined, but can be recognized once seen.
So there you go... Pornography lies in the eyes (and probably loins) of the beholder. In the Western world a scantily dressed woman may not arouse looks & passion, whereas in Saudi Arabia a moderately dressed (non-burkha clad) woman may.
So have those guys first define what pornography is before getting into this banning business.
Blocking websites not good enough, block the whole Internet. This surely will help people who sell adult DVDs.
@gp65.: i agree to all what u hav said. my point sole point is, people like want State to begin at least. lets make an easy access to such stuff difficult. lets deny very young boys to watch it. i know, a desperate person who is determined to break the barriers at all costs, would do it. then let it be for him. but let those people, who are desperate on other hand due to flood of obscenity and vulgarity that their children are exposed to, have the impression that State at least realizes the problem. As far as work load for courts are concerned, there is a large number of Banking and Consumer Courts all over Pakistan, which are literally doing nothing. Those judges are found back home by 1400 hrs. lets take some Jurists out from there for this job
@abcde: u mean any activity which is not publically done but is insane, doesn't fall in Govt's purview to monitor? I think if we had a constitution drafted on secular lines, then it was right what u have said
@omar: first of all im surprised by the anger that u hav shown on issue of blocking such stuff. No one is asking not to feed people or eliminate lawlessness. I dont require any advice from you on IT issues. Im serving in KSA, such sites are absolutely blocked here, n they have a simple desk dedicated to the job, who have a single software for the purpose which needs regular updation/ up-gradation. Therefore no need to shout to prove urself to be an Aristotle of IT. Furthermore, even if Govt has to spend millions on it, i would rather like it to be taken out from BISP and spent on it
No.... we dont support this ban
An advocate now will be our moral guides, a pity nation and where is civil society and liberal voices calling for their right of freedom.
Really good to hear someone is taking up this issue. The decline of morality in our society has been in part due to the free 'content' available both on-line and in video clubs. Studies have concluded there is a causality between this smut and amoral as well as immoral behaviour. Smut cannot be justified by any right minded Muslim, irrespective of flimsy 'what about our rights' squeals of high dudgeon. If you want to see smut, get married and enjoy your wife/husband. No need to watch it. It is filthy.
@Salman: Ofcourse this is something that concerns Pakistan, so I do not have a stake and Pakistani people including you can decide. I would object if something like this came up in India and let me say why.
So let us say person A sends some websites to this group of 5 people whose job it is to block. So who is supposed to review and agree whether this is truly pronographic or blasphemous - surely not the IT people? We already know how the current blasphemy law is being misused. Are you absolutely sure that this mechanism too would not be abused to impose censorship on anything that some powerful people may want to keep away from public domain? How would you prevent the abuse?
Already the judges have tried to get some censorship guidelines designed and implemented fro TV and that too is taking for ever. Can you imagine how much more complex it would be when the process applies to everything that is out there on google? What happens if someone does not agree that it is blasphemous or pornographic - do they have to o to the court to unblock the content? What does that do the workload in courts which already have big backlogs?
And after creating not just this IT group but censorship review group plus extra workload for court how sure are you that your goal is met that people who want access to porn will be denied that access? Since you agree that it is impossible to block all pornographic material, don't you think that the person motivated to access it can will stil get that access. SO then all this extra efort and expense - what purpose would it serve?
nobody can block porn sites or blasphemous materials . There are software's available which can unblock even if a government installs a firewall. These software's can easily bypass installed firewall . We must concentrate on real issues.
@Salman:
how is it the states duty to police an activity done in a private premises that has zero affect on third parties?
@ Salman
First of all you know absolutely nothing about IT issues or the internet. Lets get that out of the way. 4 to 5 experts? Are you serious? is that really all you think this will take? It terrifies me that people who know next to nothing about the internet feel they have a right to speak about it. there are millions upon millions of sites which could be classified as pornographic or blaspheming in one way or the other. Not only will it require millions of rupees and hundreds of IT people constantly blocking new sites as they appear as well as a review committee to unban some sites. you are damaging your youth far more by not allowing them to access the internet. First of all you have no argument whatsoever that viewing these sites leads to moral tarnishing. if anything leads to tarnishing it is the widespread corruption and lawlessness in this society which has been here since before we had internet connections. banning things will make no difference and I challenge you to prove that it will and that you could do so with 4 IT people. People dying and being unable to feed themselves is obviously much more important than what websites you see onj your own time. Salman most people can't even afford computer computers in this country. Your writing is terrible, your logic is horrible and you have no argument whatsoever. Please go back to grade school before you use a computer again.
@doom: No brother, resources will not be wasted. i don't think that more than 5 ppl will be required in PTA Head Office for this. n i know 100% blockade is not possible, but let the State fulfill its duty, lets take a step in this direction. Once State takes a leap forward, then may be parents also wake to the call. But it is required
@Salman: Really? Men looking at women online is worse than terrorism? Do you want think about that a little bit?
The reason why it is being labelled as useless is not just for the sake of liberalism but because resources will be wasted. The governemnt will set up an office and pay salaries and waste time blocking millions of sites. And what will be achieved? Nothing, becuase millions more will keep coming and the blockage can be by-passed very easily and those who don't know how to by-pass will just buy CDs. Then will you ask that CDs be banned also?
Block all blasphemous contents but not pron. What else we have to enjoy? PTA hhas already blocked most popular sites bcz of some kid who was not supposed to see them being less than 18
@ salman
i agree with u.
Im reading interesting (liberal) comments from people, who are mostly terming it a useless, nonsense and baseless issue while advising state to concentrate on REAL issues. My dear compatriots, its areal issue. Its understood that in given IT environment, its impossible to block whole of pornographic sites,, but,,, its obligatory for State to act. even if it is a useless, what goes of Govt (PTA) to dedicate a section of may be four or five IT experts to do the job. Will you enlightened people start missing SOMETHING? Economy and terrorism are lesser threats to this country than a morally tarnished youth, who is to hold the reins tomorrow. No one is asking for all the State organs to leave everything aside and start running after this issue, its about three or four people from 192 million (am i right?). I render my compliments to the person who took the step. Even if a meek voice is coming from an ignorant society, it manifests that we are not dead yet
Rise of the "illiterati"
Why we always act in negative way. Why we went for extreame, its a human nature that the things he refrain from, he will always atempt to go for them. Instead of banning the government could arrange counseling programs for people and provide awareness to them.
kudos to shaheed e jamhooriAt Mr Babar Awan....with all these please ban ,twitter,google. express tribune.cable ,satellite,petrol and cng which are available on alternative days..ban speaking and listening because when you speak there is a chance of saying bad words.
never thought id read pornography and blasphemy in the same sentence. Kafka would be proud.
Why don't we just block the internet and get it over with once and for all.
good ... but what about those HD and Blu Ray all over the market ?
It is impossible to ban 100% to porn material. Nobody in the world can do that. Not even China.
The courts cannot deliver justice to people so they have devised a new way to keep them busy in useless and baseless controversies. For God sake do your primary duty.
list please.
I wonder if we'd ever grow up as a nation and would be involved in these rubbish issues, always?