Pakistan

Access denied: PTA blocks Facebook

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked Facebook across Pakistan following directions issued by the Lahore High Court.<br /> <br /> Zonal Directors have instructed all ISPs in their respective areas to immediately block the website at the URL level and to continuously monitor the same to...

Express May 20, 2010

KARACHI: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked Facebook across Pakistan following directions issued by the Lahore High Court.

Zonal Directors have instructed all ISPs in their respective areas to immediately block the website at the URL level and to continuously monitor the same to ensure compliance with the instructions of the authority.

Earlier in the day, the PTA blocked the controversial link on Facebook following the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday.

The Lahore High Court had ordered the Telecom ministry to ban the social networking website following the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) caricatures controversy.

The PTA has issued a circular in this regard which states that the link is blocked with immediate effect, however, sources confirm Facebook is still accessible via Facebook proxies.

Blackberry services shut down in Pakistan:

Cellular companies in Pakistan have put a halt on Blackberry services till further notice in line with PTA's directives for blocking Facebook in Pakistan. Facebook had been accessible on Blackberry handsets long after PTA had blocked Facebook in Pakistan as these services are routed through RIM servers. Cellular companies therefore put a cap on Blackberry services till further notice. All cellular companies informed their customers through SMS about the development.

Report blasphemous caricatures:

Ministry of IT has also directed the PTA to remain alert and watchful and block all links displaying profane caricatures immediately.

Ministry of IT has requested the public at large to contact a dedicated Telephone No 0800-5505 and e-mail address: complaint@pta.gov.pk , to transmit necessary information, should anything to the effect of objectionable caricature get displayed/propagated at any website.

Swedish Embassy in Pakistan closed for indefinite period:

The Swedish Embassy in Pakistan has been closed for an indefinite period of time over the holding of a competition on blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) on Facebook, Online adds.

The diplomatic sources said that the Swedish Embassy has been closed since last week.

The sources in Foreign Office told Online that they were informed before closing of the embassy however it has not been mentioned that when it would be reopened.

For a detailed report on the controversy, click here.

For pictures of anti-Facebook protests, click here.

COMMENTS (80)

Rehan Bukhari | 13 years ago | Reply small drops of water make ocean. This small step of love with PROPHET P.B.U.H will surely leave longlasting effects over many unsound minds. may be positive or negative. lets see

Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply You guys are idiots, honestly. This is a worldwide event with a page on facebook including deviantart etc. Should we ban the world then? No. Besides, do you guys have any idea how many pro-Islam, Prophet, Quran etc vids and pages there are on Facebook? One anti islam page does not make a difference. And also, do you know how many Pakistani business thrive off facebook alone? Islam teaches us to seek knowledge. One of the uses of seeking knowledge is that we don't make retarded decisions like this.

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mudssair | 13 years ago | Reply thanks to pta for block the facebook

nadia | 13 years ago | Reply PTA decision of blocking facebook is the best thing .it should rather b banned permanently...n the people who r againt the blocking of facebook should go to hell..they r no better then those who have took part in that event..as a UMMATi of our beloved Prophet SALLALLAHOALAI WASALAM, it is our duty to take care of His IZZAT o NAMOOS..n to block facebook is the least thing we can do in this regard...MAY ALLAH AWAKE all muslims n develop JAZBAI IMANI n HUB E RASOOL IN THEM

FARASAT ANEES | 13 years ago | Reply Why you block FAceBook ITs Only BEst Site WHich MAke USeful In social NAd Busienss Life Why not you block the link which is unproper

owais | 13 years ago | Reply use orkut !=P !

Hunain Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Salma Jafri: You got that rite !, The decision of PTA/LHC is nothing but crap. anyhow no issues, Lets bypass the block and access all ! :) Cervet Cahn: Are you aware of the fact that an admin of that 'page' actually posted on the wall that Pakistan really helped in making them famous Reference: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5936758&id=554965855 I took the stand against the groups who started this boycott thingy cos i believe we should fight against it the right way and in result i was called a 'qadiyani', How inspiring :) No wonder why people tag our country and the people as 'Extremists' !

A.F. | 13 years ago | Reply I have a question for all the people who are protesting on streets. have youse guys ever used facebook or internet in your life? If you have infection in your finger & your Dr. says that it should be cut out so will you cut the finger only or whole arm? If a person is selling illegal/ban product in his shop will you only close the concern shop or the whole market? There are many defamatory things available on the internet its up to the user to access it or not. Many people didn’t knew about the competition but our own nation create hype of it.

NAWAZ | 13 years ago | Reply first islam than facebook .contacts with one another are not important than our religion islam. PROUD on PTA.u have done an excellent job..

Sadaf | 13 years ago | Reply Silly decision by PTA:::::You could have removed the page,, why blocked the whole channel? I am totally broken down via communication and dont have any link with the outer world now... Sounds stupid :: I wish if some PTA people really read IT properly and understand it... if someone abuses us on yahoo chat, do we disconnect our yahoo? or simply block the person? Do we stop our communication with the other business contacts too, just because of one stupid person? I guess thats not a wise decision...If some one says some bad words about religion over phone,,, Do we disconnect our phones and mobiles???

Maham | 13 years ago | Reply i'm totally agreed with u MR.Ahmad... why not they block the link , why they blocked facebook.

Atif | 13 years ago | Reply Congratulations. Looks like the main page which was behind all this fiasco has been brought down by facebook. This is a victory for all those who were in favor of facebook ban. However, keep in mind that in coming days, pages like these might crop up with smaller audience. But bringing down of the main page, shows at least some realization. PS. just watching on tv. Interview of a young IT professional. When he saw that page few days ago, he made a new page named "Fans of Hitler". He said that within few hours his page was banned and reason was; "hate speech or content not allowed!". Yeah man..... freedom of speech!

Salma Jafri | 13 years ago | Reply @Abdul Mueed my response if someone abuses my parents and makes cartoons of them and puts them on wall streets? Why first of course I'll ban my parents from interacting with anyone ever again! How dare they malign the family's name in this way! Next I'll launch a kill-the-cartoonist drive. Off with his head. And finally, I'll burn the street (and maybe some tyres) on which the posters were put up. If the fire harms the businesses on that street or kills a few pedestrians, or causes curfew to be imposed on the entire city, so what? Its for a good cause. Isn't that what any good muslim would do?

Fahad Shafi | 13 years ago | Reply Facebook has been banned in Pakistan, what do you people think is this enough action? Why no protest from Government Level at least from Ministry of Religious Affairs? Why no interaction with other Muslim countries to ban the site? Why not any practical and proper action which shows that our Government and all over the Muslim community will not accept any action of this kind in future? Is this enough? Decide yourself In the end, in case if the Government and PTA will end the temporarily blocking of Facebook I want to know are we ready not to use it ever? To me self assessment is the best policy. Change yourself first if you want to change the world. Are we able to offer a website which can be substitute of facebook? Or we will wait for any other new site from the west?

kashif | 13 years ago | Reply very good action by pta

Dirk | 13 years ago | Reply @Atif Why? First, the leftwing parties see every immigrant as a new vote. So they won't support anything that could reduce it. We allow people abroad who are married to someone who lives here, to come over. What we see is immigrants who create their own gethos and import brides from homecountries. Other words: they keep coming in. So if you say "Key is in your hand.", it's true. And nowadays the political class is finally realizing it. But the extremists we let in 10 years ago, are still here. And stating we need these people for our economy. Maybe in the 70's. Most of these immigrants can't even speak the language, and don't do an effort. We have a welfare state, which means that if they don't work, they get a fee. Yesterday there was a report in the Netherlands which showed that immigration there costs the country 7 billion euro a year. In my country 50% of the inmates are foreign, 10% comes from Morocco. This negative attitude of the west agains muslims isn't something 'out of the blue', it's based on the misbehaviour of muslims in Europe.

Cervet Cahn | 13 years ago | Reply I was okay with the ban of Facebook until, I discovered that I can’t access Wikipedia too! I believe many of us are facing hindrance due to unavailability of Wikipedia. Forget freedom-of-speech for sometime, we NEED to work here! As a matter of fact, blasphemous contents, whether in form of caricatures or any other form all over the web. What will be the next step then? block internet? I favor the protest and ban of Facebook, and I do believe that something should have been done on the national level, but now, banning every other site seem to be the only strategy we have now. And now when I look at the whole picture, I think we are partially responsible for this. I am sure I wouldn’t have known the existence of that page ever if I weren’t getting 100 SMS on my cell daily and dozens updates on FB!

Abdul Mueed | 13 years ago | Reply I think first time in Pakistan some good and bold actions are taken, They are just teasing Muslims for nothing. The term 'Freedom of Speech' is used only against Muslims. @ Salma Jafery, What would be your response if someone abuses your parents and make cartoons of them and put them on wall streets. Will you be again worrying to your business???

Atif | 13 years ago | Reply @ Salma Jafri No offense meant and you are welcome! PS. Let's not go into details that who owns what and how much. This would be called hijacking the real discussion at hand.

Atif | 13 years ago | Reply @Dirk, Looks like you don't even know how cross border travel/visits works. Let me enlighten you. There is a thing called visa. Visa is the thing that allow you to come to a country. Visa is issued by the country and that country has full authority to cancel or deny the visa and so the entry to the said country. Got it? If you westerns are so sick and tired of other nations, they go and tell your country to stop all kind of visas and don't let muslims or whoever in your country. Key is in your hand. Close & lock the door. But no, your country won't do it. Want to know why? Because your economy won't live a month if they do this. So now question is who will do the real work? Ah, they need real work force. So here comes the visas.

Dirk | 13 years ago | Reply I agree, good ban! All these annoying Paki's can't comment anymore. So why is this cartoon action? Because we in the west are sick of muslims threatening people, killing them (Theo van gogh) for things perfectly legal over here. So should you agree with our way of life? No. But we have our countries, and our choices. And we are sick of the uneducated muslims in Europe behaving like childish idiots and murderers. Imagine: hardcore christians coming to live in Pakistan. Building churches. Killing some people who criticise Christianity, threatening thousands of others. Interrupt lectures at universities. Asking to wear christian symbols while working for the gov't. We are sick of muslims. Don't come to our countries, leave us alone, ban whatever you want but stop invading our countries.

Salma Jafri | 13 years ago | Reply hey Atif, wow, thanks I loved the you're-a-little-girl-addicted-to-social-networks-speech. very profound, and those links and topics, why never in all my years on the internet would I have seen them had you not pointed them out to ignorant, naive little me. So a big thank you to you. You are acting in accordance with our islamic teachings and putting silly women like me in my proper place. And for that I should be ever grateful. yours kindly, Salma (business owner not working for an MNC but actually employing other Pakistanis)

AG | 13 years ago | Reply if you can categorize Facebook as evil and deserving a ban because of one immature and juvenile page, would you be willing to accept the world categorizing Pakistan as an evil terrorist state deserving a "ban" because of a few misguided terrorists? Aren't you the same people who take pains to ensure that the world does not judge Pakistan and Islam because of Faisal Shahzad? Then by the same logic can you judge Facebook and ban it because of that page?

Sohail | 13 years ago | Reply I think its useless to protest . Ignoring would be the best choice. Nothing is going to be acheived by banning facebook here. And we need not to take such thing seriously. Whoever does these teasing activities will get their punishment at the end. By retaliating we only damage our country's reputaion. SO CALM THE ** DOWN

Omar Farooq | 13 years ago | Reply @Atif. Yes we're still slaves even mentally not physically.we don't have our own mind to think.Just we think with mind rewarded by western. you did your level best to make her understand... JazakAllah

Amna Shah | 13 years ago | Reply If it has been blocked for a Nobel cause then we should encourage it. And on the other hand, it shouldn't banned for life.

haseeb alam | 13 years ago | Reply well done LHC and PTC.......go ahead

Johny Symons | 13 years ago | Reply folks. Ban has increased membership in "Everybody Draw Mohammad Day" from 20,000 yesterday to 65,000+ no

ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Wikipedia ban has been lifted. dont know why it was banned on a very first place.

hafiz sajjad ishtiaq | 13 years ago | Reply good! PTA allah bless you and allah give a better reward on this. be happy

Ahmad | 13 years ago | Reply Why you block FAceBook ITs Only BEst Site WHich MAke USeful In social NAd Busienss Life Why not you block the link which is unproper Plz PTA Dont be Silly Just THink AABt with sense

Atif | 13 years ago | Reply @ Salma Jafri Here is something for you if you don't know what I am talking about. http://gizmodo.com/5538489/19+year+old-facebook-ceo-didnt-take-your-privacy-seriously-either

Atif | 13 years ago | Reply @ Salma Jafri I have been in IT industry for last 20 years. Working for a multinational IT firm and have to spend about 12 hrs a day on internet. But still I am not addicted to any social network that I forgot who I am and what are the values of the this society. You use facebook for business, where most of the users are heartbreak kids looking for a way to waste their time? Let me give you a free advice. Why don't you use some serious & professional network like linkedin which have better policies than facebook? You know about facebook policies...right? If not, read blogs few weeks back and see how even your average "gora" ppl hate it. But no, we have to be western and need to love everything thrown to us in the name of freedom of speech. Sometimes I think we are still slaves and live in constant fear of being spanked.

TL | 13 years ago | Reply The best thing is to ignore, not retaliate! Because they don't give a ** . Has any other muslim country banned facebook and other sites? I dont think so.

Nabeel | Create Your First Website | 13 years ago | Reply @Azeem Yes Wikipedia and Youtube have also been banned.

Azeem | 13 years ago | Reply apparantly Wikipedia is restricted in places too. please confirm if i am the only one.

Umair Kazi | 13 years ago | Reply Here's why I think closing our eyes to the problem will not make it go away: http://umairkazi.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/the-facebook-ban-why-ignorance-is-bliss/

Nabeel Amin | 13 years ago | Reply Ban Facebook Permanently!! To Those Who are saying ignore it: Do you know what the punishment is for blasphemy? They are testing our beliefs, if we ignore it, they will go further. I fully support the ban and I believe it should be a permanent one!

Akber Choudhry | 13 years ago | Reply Facebook has removed controversial pages in the past: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8509774.stm French court ordered Facebook to remove page offensive to bishop: http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2010/05/french-court-orders-facebook-to-remove.html So, the hypocrisy is rank - and yes, a page drawing swastikas on Jewish-looking faces would be equally abhorrent. This is a question of the limits and usefulness of free speech. While we should debate it at that level, we are always free to take our business elsewhere. And lately, FB has not been too impressive with its privacy or the plans of its strange CEO.

Arsalan | 13 years ago | Reply PTA has taken the right decision but I don't think that Facebook shall delete those reported events, pages, groups and profiles. If they do so then they are violating rights of 'Freedom of Speech'. But Facebook has to delete these in order to preserve rights of Muslim Ummah. I request all of you to kindly report those events, pages, groups and profiles if you are living in or outside Pakistan. One has to take necessary steps to save the respect and dignity of Islam.

afficer khan | 13 years ago | Reply well if a country as powerful as chiina cannot ban all the unwanted website then how can we expect pakistan to be any better?there are only 40000 people on that silly group but after the LHC decision the news is spread to 40 million people across the globe...its like what you call burying head in the sand...blocking facebook is not the solution...next can be a twitter. msn. yahoo, or perhaps google...and i dont think there will be any body in pakistan to go to that link or participate in that competition so what is the point in blocking? the last time we put the punjab assembly on fire and killed many people and destroyed our own properties...so this time lets see....the enemy does not have to come physically...they only ignite the fire...the rest we do ourselves...islam never taught us to do this...

Haider | 13 years ago | Reply This is not only an amazing (and ironic) display of control in a "democratic" setup - where authoritarian rule still applies to a greater extent than it did in Russia pre-cold war. This reminds a lot of us of the time when dictators like Zia ruled the roost and on a whim snapped their fingers for something to be cut off from the public. What's sad is that all it took was one mere event (as low as it may have been), to shake the foundation of a nation - which from all the protests and comments posted above and in the streets - is evidently very linked with virtual social networks, whether positively or negatively. I think instead of pointing accusing fingers towards one another (because that's what distinguishes us or any nation from a group of Neanderthals) and look at the bigger picture... A basic right that we are given as humans, as Muslims, as people is freedom of choice, which translates into freedom of expression, freedom of voice, freedom of actions and freedom of life. This slight control displays to us all that it is so easy to round us up like sheep in a pen without even taking public vote into account, let alone act "democratic". We should be ashamed of our policies and the way in which our lives are mere cards on a betting table. We don't have freedom of choice... This is an opportune moment for people to reflect on the situation and what this means about our future as a developing country. Tomorrow its sms, then email and then what...water? We already have little electricity to go around, despite the 8pm curfew. As I write this, my blackberry refuses to send emails because apparently data services on blackberries also pose a threat so we can't communicate with our loved ones over bbm or other mediums of communication. Basically, we are cutoff from the world for something that has been undone and apologized for. Let's remember a quote that reminds us of our humanity - "To err is human, to forgive is divine" - By Alexander Pope. Definitions of divine on the Web: emanating from God; "divine judgment";

Muhammad Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply I really appreciate for ban of face book because it’s a matter to safe our ideology. It’s about respect and loves our HOLY PROPHET (P.B.U.H). Our HOLY PROPHET (P.B.U.H) is not only Rehmat-ul-Muslimean but Rehmat-ul-Aalamean (for whole man kind) unfortunately they don’t realize today but they will INSHALLAHA. So it’s deeply and hearty request to all my brothers and sister please support and boost this step taken by government. Please this is not a big deal for you guys because face book is not running your business, not your studies but face book was only for your fun or say time kill. This is a little step from your side which wills strength your faith. If we didn’t appose them today believe me our next generation will do same thing in front of us what are they doing now and we have nothing except shamed. Save our children save our Ideology. Face book have ruined our youth not only Students but all teen agers of Pakistan have ruined their routines just because of Face book.

Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply I think its just the begining.. Banning FB is true indeed good initiative which Government have taken but at the same time we should realize that there shouldn't be a single doubt in our minds why that was done so.The respect of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) has to be first priority. Having said that I think it is the right time Government should make a policy banning all explicit sites also as the it would do good to the young generation and their life to come.

Salma Jafri | 13 years ago | Reply Maybe if we didn't take ourselves so seriously all the time, people wouldn't be so inclined to make fun of us. I dont really have the time or energy to write out a detailed response here (some of us have to work and put this nonsense behind us) and I dont need to justify my business or what I do with it, but there's a question I'd like to ask if anyone's brave enough to answer: What do you think this ban will achieve? (I'm seriously asking).

Akber M | 13 years ago | Reply Banning a website is not the solution.. retaliation if neccesary should have been shown in some other manner..

AJ | 13 years ago | Reply @ Salma Jafri Keep running online business and keep running away from the hard realities of the Western Extremism. I am sorry to say but it is people like you who have made them so confident in their misdeeds. Have a heart to do without facebook. 'Online' does not limit to facebook only.

Sumera Rafi | 13 years ago | Reply PTA should have blocked the link immediately and we, as a nation, could have fought against it by signing the petition against it in protest on facebook itself. it is like not learning english since it is 'firangyun ki zabaan'. why do we have to take radical steps if there are better ways to stage protest?

ZK | 13 years ago | Reply I need to check on my farm!! =(

Syed Irfan Ali Shah | 13 years ago | Reply I think PTA should have block the link instead of block facebook. There are many good things going on. I am running three forums and doing wonders. promoting our culture through my photography. Anyway nothing important that Prophet (PBUH).

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply It is a good decision on LHC/PTA.

Jawad Khalid | 13 years ago | Reply Well done PTA.

Andy Ryan | 13 years ago | Reply At least no one will be asking me to contribute to their farm for a week or two.

H. Mapara | 13 years ago | Reply Its not about to ban the FB for few days. Its about to send a message to the world that we as Muslim community does not agree with the idea of what they are planning to do, and this is one way to record your protest. So I 100% Agreed with this ban.

Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply Could this be because of Musharraf's rapid popularity on Facebook: one of the most visited websites in the world? Who are the protestors in these pictures? Do they belong to some political party? Are they following orders or acting on free will? Who really drew those caricatures, can we really get proof of what country they really came from? fishy fishy...

Yasser | 13 years ago | Reply To some of the comment makers above. Please keep in mind LHC has not banned it permanently, it's a way to lodge the protest for the time being till 31st May, it's a matter about principle and sovereignty as i mentioned in my above comments. Kind Regards

Yasser | 13 years ago | Reply please guys spread unity in ourselves, i can see some minority of people condemning the act of blocking, due to their business or scared that they might run it on twitter or other networking sites, its a matter of Facebook policy they have done that to other groups in past, hence they should have done in this matter also, and by the way this is not permanent blocking, LHC has said till 31st May, it means we are protesting till 31st May. please understand. Thank You.

Mohammad Ali | 13 years ago | Reply This decision is appreciative and significant.

Hasan Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply We could have fought better had a national campaign been launched on facebook by the government against this anti-muslim propaganda. Shutting our lips isn't the right way to go about it.

Umayr Masud | 13 years ago | Reply People who used facebook for forwarding things they used to forward via email are the ones who believe the ban is for the best. As unfortunate as it may be education in our country has taught nothing, we've got degree's but lack education. The court did the advertising campaign for the whole event now , the news is on ALL major media networks (international). As bad as it may sound those 40,000 people on the group did less damage to the Honor of the muslims than the amount of media attention the whole thing has now gotten. On an interesting note .. quoting Aljazeera "The Facebook page for "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" had just over 40,000 supporters while the opposing "Against Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" had more than 53,000. " and out of those 53,000 most of them are banned not by the group but by the Pakistani high court ..

Yasser | 13 years ago | Reply It's a step in right direction, this campaign is not new, most of the users were reporting "draw Mohammad day" page and as per Facebook policies, no group is allowed to spread hatred hence FB should have blocked it, which they have done to so many groups in past especially targeting jews n pope, but in this case Facebook ignored it's policies , that showed Facebook are biased in this matter. This temporary banning and blocking of Facebook and appreciation by majority of people shows, the youth can talk face to face to each and everyone when it comes to matter of prestige and respect. God is Great.

Omar Farooq | 13 years ago | Reply Oh!salma:that is why you are feeling pain.you should try to wake up your mind and feel what's going on there outside against Islam...

Guljan | 13 years ago | Reply Shabah! You are very right...I agree with you, It should banned permanently. Syeda!There are so many other ways to keep in touch with each other.

Mahvesh | 13 years ago | Reply All those saying 'live a real life, not a virtual one'... you don't have the right to decide what I do. As for this whole move, it's a dangerous logic and precedent - tomorrow, google can be blocked because you can search for objectionable material. Or your access to the internet should be blocked anyway. This move takes away YOUR right to decide between right and wrong and makes your decisions for you. Don't be stupid enough to restrict this logic to Facebook.

NABEEL SHAMSI | 13 years ago | Reply OK.....BUT FACEBOOK SHOULD BE BANNED FOR FEW DAYS ONLY..NOT FOR PERMANENT ...THAT COULD PROVE A POINT TO THE WORLD!

zakintosh | 13 years ago | Reply How will you stop them? By banning facebook? Haah! So what you've done is: Banned businesses that work on it (and some may be the only way people get money). Ban parents and grandparents from seeing and talking to their children online. Ban students from collaborating with each other. Ban sites that are highly informative from being quickly passed around. Ban associations that are often important. What will you get?" Proxies and urls that will be issued around … and half of the guys/dolls who are 'supporting the ban' will go around through them to look at what they objected to … Kyaa baat haé!

Rameez Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply hmm no doubt good decission... and for us nothing is important more than our prophet p.b.u.h.

Syeda | 13 years ago | Reply Shahbah, I hate to break it to you, but I do not think that an entire trade boycott with the Muslim world will work, because the Muslim countries will not be united (certainly the font of all Islamic values, Saudi Arabia, will continue to trade oil with its greatest ally, the United States) and also because the rest of the world will still go on without it. And who is attacking anyway? It's a silly competition that is irrelevant to how one observes one's religion. A good Muslim has better things to do than worry about people running a silly competition. If you are riled up by this competition, then you are playing into the hands of those tryingto inflame you and that is just no good for you. The ban serves no purpose other than to impinge on Pakistanis who use facebook. Let's rally to get the ruling overturned.

Malik Wajid | 13 years ago | Reply Well decision taken by LHC. Islam Zindabad. Pakistan Zindabad

Shabah | 13 years ago | Reply Oh and to all those who say we should live in isolation, its about time the entire Muslim world boycotts countries completely, which support such attacks. A complete trade boycott from Morocco to Indonesia will force their trade dependent economies to their knees.

Shabah | 13 years ago | Reply Have they banned just the link on facebook or the entire Facebook? If they have banned the whole Facebook, then Bravo, good move. If only that particular link on facebook then useless. And they should keep it banned permanently unless Facebook issues an apology and doesn't allow the event to take place.

Syeda | 13 years ago | Reply I agree with Saleem Chohan. Just making the other party 'shut-up' is not a solution, as next it could be any one of us who is asked to 'shut-up'. Really, this ruling makes no sense whatsoever. Does anyone know if and when it can be reversed? Somebody should also do a survey/research of reactions of people depending on whether they are fb users or not. I suspect that those who do not use fb probably think it is a den of nefarious activities while those who do, know that it is mostly a positive and useful tool for both personal and professional networking. We cannot just shut out the world because banning fb in Pakistan is not going to make those caricature competitions go away. Bury one's head in the sand at your peril.

Azeem | 13 years ago | Reply Now this is a clear violation of our rights. the ban makes no sense and I think the LHC just wasted their time and ours. and for all those who think Facebook should be banned. well to each his own.

Syeda | 13 years ago | Reply Oh my God. Facebook goes far beyond these caricature competitions. This is so frustrating. Pakistanis all over the globe are in touch with each other via Facebook so this ruling actually harms Pakistanis themselves. In any case, no-one is forcing any one to take part in these competitions so I'm not sure what the worry is. Plus, the more airtime and exposure this kind of ruling and press gives to activities like these caricature competitions, the more power of disruption you give to those who are organizing such competitions. I suspect the Prophet (phuh) himself would have advised us to just let such folk be and show greater sense than to help advertise their cause more by rulings such as this LHS one. The ruling should be appealed and rescinded asap.

M Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Poor kids.

Salma Jafri | 13 years ago | Reply I run an ONLINE business Mr Atif. So my business is online, my personal life is offline. Get it? I have paying BUSINESS clients on FB. Oh and please quit the personal attacks.

Saleem Chohan | 13 years ago | Reply To me blocking Facebook on the internet does not look any different than banishing television in Afghanistan by Taliban. Tomorrow Islam defamation campaigns can spring up on Twitter, next day on some other site in some other medium. Isolation can not be a proper response. We will have to live in current times; and if we believe in an idea then we will have to learn to defend and present it well. Just asking the other party to shut up is not going to help much.

Atif | 13 years ago | Reply @Salma Jafri wow! so bitter. my advice, come out of virtual life and live a real one. well done LHC & PTA.

Asif Nawaz | 13 years ago | Reply PTA has done the right thing. Facebook should have gotten banned.

Salma Jafri | 13 years ago | Reply PTA/LHC is stupid. please just ban the internet and take us out of our misery once and for all. Imma go find a cave to dwell in

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