Pakistan

Pakistan may ban Yahoo, Google, MSN

The LHC has ordered Ministry of Information officials to appear in court regarding the blockage of nine websites.

Express June 23, 2010

LAHORE: Deputy Attorney General, Bahawalpur, Muhammad Azad has said that the Lahore High Court has ordered Ministry of Information officials to appear in court regarding the blockage of nine websites including Google, Yahoo, YouTube and MSN.

Rabia Mehmood, reporter Express 24/7 confirmed that a writ petition had been filed by a citizen in the Bahawalpur bench of the LHC seeking a ban on websites publishing blasphemous material and misquoting the Holy Quran.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered Ministry of Information officials to appear before the court on June 28, after which a decision will be taken regarding blockage of the sites.

Websites included on the ban list are:

Google

Yahoo

Bing

YouTube

Hotmail

Amazon

IslamExposed

InTheNameofAllah

According to Azad the ban will not be implemented today (Wednesday) as indicated by early reports in the media. The fate of the nine websites will be decided following the June 28 hearing, he said.

COMMENTS (208)

sohail | 14 years ago | Reply I want to appreciate the judiciary of Pakistan for taking up an independent & correct decision by blocing these sites and their sponsors trying to forward their agenda in a diplomatic manner.I condemn all blasphamic material, it's sponsors and publishers. sohail

sahahzada | 14 years ago | Reply it was a just right decision by pk govt. you should also be blocked next.

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malik farhan | 14 years ago | Reply yaar wat the duck is this we all respect law n court but google n yahoo r the main n cheap source to communiticate n learn something n if there is material which is not suitable court can just ban that page not the whole thing law n court........... n instead of this please press n all the working departments of government leave these ducking issues n focus how to give better life to poor people like us thx to all

humma | 14 years ago | Reply its really hard for those professional who are dependent on these mega websites, communication, research work , link searching socialing lot more, we can avoid those content which are harmful and against islam, i salute to those guy who also work to provide mega website link in just one page with lot more with latest video report from around the world that is www.orbitgoogle.com

Humayun Saif | 14 years ago | Reply Why not banning internet, Instead of banning one or two sites every month? This is recklessness of LHC, they should be path to leading people safely into 21st Century! Our nation is doomed for isolation, the major isolation is coming!!

Sohail | 14 years ago | Reply Seem Govt would likes to promote porn industry in Pakistan because when all the productive, informative and knowledge based website blocked then the internet surfer in pakistan will have no choice but to signin to some good porn.. awesome good thought :D

Kamran | 14 years ago | Reply Well, I think d very first and the only good thing which comes from this government or this judiciary. Above all, if we cant do anything else 2 protest against d evil minds, we should @least quit facebook etc. And if our govt believes there are few other sites as well, and there surely are, then we should support the ban so they could realize that Muslims (esp. Pakistanis) love their Prophet(PBUH).

john Donne | 14 years ago | Reply Amazing these comments except for few. Exhibits the intellectual level of commentators-the Judges Superior, like Mothers Superior of the Catholic Church-who are telling us that the judges have already banned the Sites! All they have is a smattering ability of the language of aliens, and are proud of it. Did people live in Stone age before internet happened? Was there no civilization before the internet. Isn't it great that you hold the honorable 'degree' of Paki awarded to you by your patrons?

Ishi khan | 14 years ago | Reply why Govt of Pakistan not completely banning All porn and sex websites which is very bad, fatal and unnecessary for our new generation. just like Saudi Arabia did and doing their best to stop these kind of website. Hello PTA stop sexuality websites also. these are not important to ban but FULL ban on pornography is too much important. think about it

Bangash | 14 years ago | Reply @Sajid Why don't you set an example and create a PakGoogle or HalalGoogle and show us how its done ?

farooq | 14 years ago | Reply Mohammad Abbasi you cracked me up man !! Haha !! Well, I guess these sites are working fine, so calm down people. As for creating a whole new ‘muslim friendly’ web, whose idea was it again? Haha !!!

Arslan | 14 years ago | Reply I have a new newspeper of tribune is very good newspeper.

Faryal Tahir | 14 years ago | Reply Mohammad Abbasi you cracked me up man !! Haha !! Well, I guess these sites are working fine, so calm down people. As for creating a whole new 'muslim friendly' web, whose goddamn idea was it again? Haha !!!

hasan ansari | 14 years ago | Reply oh please get a life. Leave us alone.

Faree | 14 years ago | Reply i Doooo agree with sajid above..i think people all above doesnt beleive in themselves...might a lot of them are not Pakistanis..

Faree | 14 years ago | Reply i think the filter should be more delicate rather than blocking the entire stuff.

sajid | 14 years ago | Reply I think that it every good step to block these sites because with these steps we can prove that we are an independent nation and can do many things without help of west.don't comment on banning these site we to create our own site like Google, Msn, yahoo, Hotmail etc. and i think that we can do this to prove that we can do our own work. so brother think not in a circle think vast it also a good opportunity for the bright youth of Pakistan. Always think in positive manner so that each and ever think a benefits now its upon us how to get benefit out of this.

Rafia Maniar | 14 years ago | Reply Well whats the point on banning the websites point is when u block all the inports from these counties countires.by blocking these useful websites they will make the country more backwards thats it will fell like we r in stonage lol

Areeba | 14 years ago | Reply Ok people get ready!!! Again 4 a Backward Pakistan And Backward new generation!!! God bless our conservative people and government!!!

Bilal Akhtar | 14 years ago | Reply Nothing but stupidity!

Tahir Saifuddin | 14 years ago | Reply I agree with the idea that Pakistani authorities want to extort money from 150 million internet users and they are looking for some method for this. And they have all joined hands for this unholy task. Protests against Facebook were fake and arranged by local aministrations.Ministries and courts are partners.

Shahid Yousuf | 14 years ago | Reply Apparently the government and the judiciary are arch rivals. But we now witness that LHC has banned websites and the government is promptly implementing it. This means they are all together when it comes to enslaving the citizens. Why didn't the government write letter to Swiss Court on Supreme Court's orders with the same obedience?

mehar | 14 years ago | Reply We need to filter content on internet.Sadly even if PTA does end up blocking these sites, tell me would these contents really disappear. People who are owners of this site, would they just stop or die. would they stop saying such things. The answer is big fat NO.Just because you will close your eyes,doesnt mean it is not there. Frankly speaking more the half of the population using internet dont have time/ or are even stupid enough to search for such contents.I believe either the petitioner thinks that we are that dumb or there is some incriminating content online of his /or people he is associated with that he wants no one to see.

Nighat Khan | 14 years ago | Reply How many other Muslim countries are doing such stupid things? Look at us. The most corrupt and worst law breakers in the world tring to impersonate as great Muslims.

nighat khan | 14 years ago | Reply How many other Muslin countries are doing such stupid things that we do? Look at us, the most senseless and corrupt people in the world trying to impose as best Muslims. This is all fake fake fake.

Ahmer Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Banning the websites is not the solution of this problem but the only solution of this problem is to be reunited against the western evil powers for Islam and the muslims all over the world and social and economic boycott must be declared from all the muslim countries with the western countries and nations so that we could rise our true Islamic image once again.Some muslim countries don't ban the websites which publish sacreligious contents and some ban and from this disunity western countries take the full advantage.Now the time has come to take solid stand against such these things of anti-islam and anti-muslims all over the world.

Mohammed Abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply @Abdul Azeez, books are haraam because the words they have people can accidently mix them up and become non-muslims.... i think we all should destroy everything and just carry a lota in one hand and an ak47 in another and go and conquer the universe.... mullahs in space! alternatively give the rest of us a break - we are muslims that worship allah and not mullahs

Harris | 14 years ago | Reply Awesome, Mr. Justice... you are simply awesome. What in the world are they doing here? Rapists roam around freely. Those selling the nation are having fun. Thieves are living their lives at peace here. But the only thing left is banning some basic, very basic things in life that you cannot live without. Whoever this justice guy is, he obviously doesn't deserve the position he's serving. Mr. Justice, sire.. nobody does anything constructive about dealing with these issues (including you, of course). Educate people about it; don't keep them in the dark. You are supposed to teach, not misguide people. What the heck!! I am wasting my time talking about our System. Blasphemy is unacceptable, but this isn't how you rectify the situation.

baconsandwich | 14 years ago | Reply that's what you get for living in a backwards country run by a backwards religion.

Ammad | 14 years ago | Reply I think banning faceboook at that time was right as we wanted to show our protest, but i think it is the responsibility of Muslims not to visit those pages which have something like it. If you ban all these what would remain on internet, Pakistanis won't have access to big information sources. That petitioner must not be a user of internet.

izzy | 14 years ago | Reply Wait! How will people in the tech support work.?????

N Gul | 14 years ago | Reply @Abdul Azeez dude, good morning! heres a head start for you, books are difficult to access and the Internet is the fastest way to access any information or any book. And it's up to the person how he uses or misuses it. no wonder you've never Googled anything your entire life.

Shafi M | 14 years ago | Reply ...I think this is an ignorant decision pakistan Judiciary i think is supposed to know the importance of these sites and I am damm sure and I bet on that these Stupid Judges don't even know how start a pc and if some know then they don't know what is the internet, such people as our law holders are ashamed on a Nation.......I think we will be requiring a pigeon to send our messages as one of the user mentioned here.....

Aamir Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Wonderful. Pakistanis are idiot nation and do not deserve Internet. I hope LHC not only bans Internet but also orders all computers to be destroyed in Pakistan, as computers are used to create all this blasphemy and pornography and other objectionable material.

N Gul | 14 years ago | Reply Congratulations! And have fun! How many of you were out there protesting for the restoration of the judiciary? Now go play poker with them! As for our miserable government, most of us don't even bother to go and cast our vote and we end up with a hopeless government and a good-for-nothing President. Considering all this, it is OUR fault and our fault only, and we'll have to bear the consequences!

Abdul Azeez | 14 years ago | Reply I am shocked at the comments of the readers. Why we dont use thr books to learn instead of these blasphemous search engines. They corrupt the young minds of our people and should be banned. Our judges are not uneducated.

Sajid | 14 years ago | Reply (Sigh) well what am i doing over here? i should prepare myself for living in a stone age..

sanika | 14 years ago | Reply google..yahoo..hotmail..msn..amazon.. wht do they think we are gonna do widout these websites..?? thanks to KESC..i need to keep my data on my email..so dat it never flies away along wid my windows when power goes off..is this what we call PROGRESS..????!! they only need to do one thing..THINKKK.. no body THINKS on what causes others to mock around..all we do is..wait for da damage..and then retaliate in a way too stupid manner.. let live mayn!

Mohammed Abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply What is it with Pakistan? The world is moving forward and people in every nation are debating and challenging issues - name one Muslim nation that is basing its future on the say so of a couple of jahil mullahs? Pakistanis must not stand for this rubbish - its time it banned Mullahs instead! facebook.com/britpak

Usman Jillani | 14 years ago | Reply The decision must be taken on the whole criminal activities, not only to the above stated websites...

Amer Abbas | 14 years ago | Reply Shame on LHC for taking us to stone age again. Wow what a start to enter in 21st century........

Jamil Arif | 14 years ago | Reply Its totally rubbish to do this ... blocking search engine is not a solution to this issue ? Link for Solid News about this issue i bet : http://telecomnewspk.com/2010/06/search-engine-websites-blocking-judge-gives-verdict-against-already-settled-issue-by-senior-judge/

Mad | 14 years ago | Reply Who made them the protectors of religion? Did they ever look inside themselves and see for themselves what they really were? Anyone can come and say,"Hey! I hate google sth against religion. go block it!" I reserve my right to protest against any decision disconnecting me from the world. I just cannot understand why was the petition even allowed to be filed?

Sibghat | 14 years ago | Reply In above post I meant "precedents" which is misspelled in the third last line

Sibghat | 14 years ago | Reply We got a one way ticket of time machine (free courts) to go to the stone age. Come to Pakistan and join us. They are going to ban search engines. What does 'hotmail' do, beyond my understanding. What is the thinking process of our most honourable, most learned and Free Judges; is also above my poor intellect. What a pity, how ignorant I am. Am I alone, who does not understand this phenomena? or There are some others too. How They think, do they use brain, or use mere books and presidents? We read, law is common sense, if this is common sense; then what is nonsense?

Aisha | 14 years ago | Reply I don't think they have any power except banning websites.. Courts others order have not been implemented .. what a shame .. people are not getting justice after fighting cases for over a decade . i think judiciary needs to work on other important issues rather than useless website bans.

Adeel | geotauaisay.com | 14 years ago | Reply Ban includes 9 websites, which are considered as backbone of internet, blocking them will mean a total internet blackout in the country. see report here

Nadeem Khan | 14 years ago | Reply Internet is the voice of a common man.it is the medium to express ones views very easilly and without any editing by some otrher minds.to ban the internet is equal to ban the voice of common men.

Mubasher | 14 years ago | Reply It is said that computer is the greatest invention of not only this century but of all centuries. And before the invention of computer people around the world were living in the stone age!!!!! Its not about money or profits rather its about making people feel that they cannot live with the use of internet. Let me tell you a very interesting thing there more people in the Pakistan who uses computer and the internet that in the UK!!!!

Bilal Zaidi | 14 years ago | Reply Haha sure. They can go ahead and block it. We might as well go and live in the Stone Age. Doesn't the Pakistan government GET IT? Why are they so DAMN thick!? It doesn't make a DIFFERENCE to the International World whether or not Pakistan is a part of all this. They don't WANT us. There will be a difference in their sales, but to WHAT extent? 1%? 2 or maximum 3%! Nothing more. And after a while, with their ever expanding businesses, they'll get used to it! A time will come when the outside world blocks Pakistan out, just like Iran, and the Pakistani Nation, cannot withstand such embargoes. We need to act up on a VOLUNTARY and PERSONAL level if we want ANYTHING right out of this. God Bless Pakistan.

Mubasher | 14 years ago | Reply These guys are using these and other sites against Islam and its the best way to 'negotiate' with them. All of you guys just upload something on the internet about the Christianity, their democracy, their way of living, their Queens and Kings. Your sites will be banned in their countries.TRY IT!!!!!!!!

Faseeha Arjumand | 14 years ago | Reply We should all remember that the internet access is purely at the discretion of the user. Please do not 'click' if you are offended by the content of the sites to be banned. What about the crimes committed in the name of religion in Pakistan? With single click you can see religion being made fun of by all and sundry!

SadafFayyaz | 14 years ago | Reply After so many comments, I am speechless... Stone age times...So lets get ready for animal hunt with spears,, cook food with stone...what is "internet" excuse me? I am a stone age person....dont know anything about it.

Kashan | 14 years ago | Reply I appreciates the decision taken by the court & the voice raise by a Pakistani. Do not be dependent on your country's enemies' products or technology so much.Make your self Independent.

moazzam | 14 years ago | Reply what these mullhas think that by banning these sites,,that version of Quran will automatically be coorected? No. these sites offer a great opportunity for the promotion of Islam. Why our mullahas are ignoring there benefits?

Muhammed Ali Mustafa | 14 years ago | Reply Reality behind the ban reality is some thing else they dont wan ban for the sake of Islam they want ban for the sake of money , social media brands like google , msn , bing , facebook and twitter are source of immense income and efforts are being made by such people which also includes Jamat e Islami and Islami Jamiat talba to introduce islambook.com , youthbuk.com ,pakistanbook etc so the intentions behind the ban is just lust for the money .. if they are very much Muslims and Islamic then they must ban pornographic sites and forums in which many of them are being operated from Pakistan itself

Shahid Raza | 14 years ago | Reply The fundamentalists want Pakistan to go back to stone age with the aid of judiciary so be it. The ground reality is that we do not exist as a nation even now.Thanks to so called democracy. Power politics is the name of the game at the expense of power sharing at least for the two major parties. Thanks to charter of democracy. Qaid-e-Azam has been forgotten in the milieu of achieving false prestige. Thanks to propaganda in print and electronic media. PAKISTAN IS LOST LONG LIVE PAKISTAN THANKS TO OUR SHAME LESS PURSUITS

Hasan | 14 years ago | Reply LHC should stop wasting time on these things , wht i think is we need to fix things those are much more imp then bannin internet this will be stupidity of highest order

Helal Khan | 14 years ago | Reply It's high time Pakistann gets Halalgle, Halaltube bla bla :D :p

Furki | 14 years ago | Reply Blasphemous websites are also blocked in Saudi Arabia. This should be done in Pakistan too but instead they are blocking search engines. There are thousands of websites that contain blasphemous contents, they can get a list of these websites from Saudis and block them but they never do that, do they?