Instead of going about fighting terrorism the way a competent govt would do, the one in Sindh has chosen an easy path.
JUBAIL, SAUDI ARABIA: This refers to news item in your newspaper of October 4 titled “Sindh government seeks ban on messaging apps”. In my opinion, such a ban is another sign of the Sindh government’s incompetence and its failure to apprehend terrorists, extortionists, target killers and criminals in a professional way. Just over a year ago, the then government banned YouTube citing the presence of objectionable material on the video-sharing website. And what is the outcome? People who really want to see YouTube can still access it through other means so what is the purpose of the ban?
Similarly, if the Sindh government thinks that by banning Skype, Viber and WhatsApp, it will be able to disrupt communication among terrorists and criminals, it is misguided. Pakistan is flooded with thousands of illegal SIMs, which are used by criminals with impunity. There is no control on the sale of ammonium nitrate, which is used for making explosives. It’s available for purchase regardless whether one is a farmer or not.
Instead of going about fighting terrorism the way a competent government would do it, the one in Sindh has chosen an easy path. I was astonished to read a tweet by the chairman of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, where he addressed Karachiites as “Dear Burgers”, saying that their opposition to the ban was out of place. Such remarks from the head of a political party, which claims to represent all sections of society all across the country are an eye-opener.
Masood Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2013.
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