Justice Ejaz Chaudhry said that the government should record its protest at international level.
Hearing a petition regarding blasphemous page on Facebook, Chaudhry Zulfiqar Advocate said that Facebook hurt the emotions of Muslims with the publication of said page about blasphemous caricatures but the government became a silent spectator.
Deputy Attorney General Naveed Inayat Malim said that PTA has blocked the blasphemous link of Facebook. Director Telecom Mudassar Hussain said that there would be great loss after the complete closure of Facebook. Lawyers and civil society representatives protested the statement of Director Telecom.
The government yesterday had directed the PTA on the orders of LHC to block the blasphemous caricatures link on Facebook. After the directive, the PTA took necessary steps and blocked the link on Facebook.
Update: ISPAK has confirmed that PTA has directed all ISPs to completely ban Facebook till May 31st, 2010.
Update: Micronet sent following email to its customers
Micronet has blocked access to www.facebook.com in compliance with orders of Lahore High Court passed today.
Facebook has been holding a competition to draw caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and has not removed the objectionable hate materials despite thousands of emails from Pakistani facebook community.
This access would remain block till 31 May 2010 or further orders by the Lahore High Court.
Best Regards
Manager
Technical Assistance Center
Micronet Broadband Pvt. Ltd.
Islamabad
Update: 5:44 PM – May 19, 2010
Update: Following is PR from Ministry of IT and Telecom
BLOCKAGE OF FACE BOOK WEBSITE DUE TO PUBLICATION OF PROFANE ANTI ISLAMIC CONTENT ON ITS WEBSITE.
ISLAMABAD: MAY 19, 2010
In compliance with the orders of Honourable Lahore High Court, Lahore, on the Writ Petition No.10392/10, dated the 19th May, 2010, the Ministry of Information Technology has issued a directive to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block the ‘Face Book’ and all other internet links displaying sacrilegious caricatures of the Holy Prophet.
Ministry of IT has also directed the PTA to remain alert and watchful and block all such links displaying the profane caricatures immediately.
Ministry of IT has requested 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.
