Assalamualaikum.
I am a Muslim Pakistani. Several times before I have thought of starting a blog to express my views when I used to see something said or done against my religion or country but didn't do it. But this time I decided that the educated people of our country should speak up and finally created one. Let me tell you that I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't seen this post http://faisalqureshi.net/dont-let-the-internet-blackout-scare-you-keep-blogging-your-voices-matter/
This post was created by Faisal Qureshi, a person whom I see as a person trying to awaken the sleeping, educated youth of Pakistan.
"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today what I want to express my views about is the banning of Facebook and YouTube in Pakistan by government telecommunication authorities. A page was created on Facebook several weeks ago which promoted blasphemous content against Islam. Thus, Muslims from all over the world started criticising and reporting that page. Many took up a defensive attitude and defended their religion on that page. In view of the situation Pakistan's government telecommunication authorities decided to block Facebook as well as YouTube which had several videos promoting the same blasphemous content. What I ask: was it The Right Decision?
What these authorities did not realize was that banning Facebook and YouTube was never the solution to this matter. If we close our eyes to reality, it does not mean that others won't see it. By doing so, the authorities removed one of the most powerful sources the Muslims of Pakistan had to counter this page. If these sources weren't banned there is a good chance that the Muslims would have been able to counter this issue more effectively.
Please also note, that I am in no way supporting the blasphemous content. I believe racism and religious discrimination are one of the greatest crimes and people involved in such should be punished accordingly.
Presently this issue is mostly resolved but the telecommunication authorities still maintain the ban on Facebook and YouTube along with some other websites as well. Once again what these authorities don't understand is that putting a ban on Facebook not only disconnected Pakistan socially with all other countries, it also caused much difficulties for those using information technology as a source of earning. Those who used Facebook for advertising, for communication throughout the world, for educational purposes and for assisting their household jobs all faced losses. In addition programmers who were making custom applications for earning also faced much difficulty.
All in all, these social networking sites are not just to make friends because if used effectively, they promote the development of IT, open up new sources for income as well as creating awareness among people. Similar is the case with YouTube. YouTube in addition to being a very powerful video advertising source was also helping students living in Pakistan by providing education related videos. But now these students are deprived of such facilities.
Thus, by banning such sites the people of Pakistan are suffering. IT is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in Pakistan. It is providing employment opportunities to a large number of people. I urge the government telecommunication authorities to look into this matter and take appropriate steps to rectify it immediately. Because if this matter is ignored, Pakistan will face yet another sector becoming useless...and that being the IT sector. So, since the matter is now mostly resolved, shouldn't this ban be lifted? Or are there other reasons for banning such powerful sources of spreading the views of the people?
Since I don't have Facebook anymore I have lost one of the most powerful ways to express and spread my ideas. So I need the help of all of you to spread this message to everyone you know and create awareness among them. I would be glad if this is read by telecommunication authorities so that they realize the gravity of the situation and act with responsibility.
And once again I ask all of you, was it The Right Decision?
I am a Muslim Pakistani. Several times before I have thought of starting a blog to express my views when I used to see something said or done against my religion or country but didn't do it. But this time I decided that the educated people of our country should speak up and finally created one. Let me tell you that I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't seen this post http://faisalqureshi.net/dont-let-the-internet-blackout-scare-you-keep-blogging-your-voices-matter/
This post was created by Faisal Qureshi, a person whom I see as a person trying to awaken the sleeping, educated youth of Pakistan.
"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today what I want to express my views about is the banning of Facebook and YouTube in Pakistan by government telecommunication authorities. A page was created on Facebook several weeks ago which promoted blasphemous content against Islam. Thus, Muslims from all over the world started criticising and reporting that page. Many took up a defensive attitude and defended their religion on that page. In view of the situation Pakistan's government telecommunication authorities decided to block Facebook as well as YouTube which had several videos promoting the same blasphemous content. What I ask: was it The Right Decision?
What these authorities did not realize was that banning Facebook and YouTube was never the solution to this matter. If we close our eyes to reality, it does not mean that others won't see it. By doing so, the authorities removed one of the most powerful sources the Muslims of Pakistan had to counter this page. If these sources weren't banned there is a good chance that the Muslims would have been able to counter this issue more effectively.
Please also note, that I am in no way supporting the blasphemous content. I believe racism and religious discrimination are one of the greatest crimes and people involved in such should be punished accordingly.
Presently this issue is mostly resolved but the telecommunication authorities still maintain the ban on Facebook and YouTube along with some other websites as well. Once again what these authorities don't understand is that putting a ban on Facebook not only disconnected Pakistan socially with all other countries, it also caused much difficulties for those using information technology as a source of earning. Those who used Facebook for advertising, for communication throughout the world, for educational purposes and for assisting their household jobs all faced losses. In addition programmers who were making custom applications for earning also faced much difficulty.
All in all, these social networking sites are not just to make friends because if used effectively, they promote the development of IT, open up new sources for income as well as creating awareness among people. Similar is the case with YouTube. YouTube in addition to being a very powerful video advertising source was also helping students living in Pakistan by providing education related videos. But now these students are deprived of such facilities.
Thus, by banning such sites the people of Pakistan are suffering. IT is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in Pakistan. It is providing employment opportunities to a large number of people. I urge the government telecommunication authorities to look into this matter and take appropriate steps to rectify it immediately. Because if this matter is ignored, Pakistan will face yet another sector becoming useless...and that being the IT sector. So, since the matter is now mostly resolved, shouldn't this ban be lifted? Or are there other reasons for banning such powerful sources of spreading the views of the people?
Since I don't have Facebook anymore I have lost one of the most powerful ways to express and spread my ideas. So I need the help of all of you to spread this message to everyone you know and create awareness among them. I would be glad if this is read by telecommunication authorities so that they realize the gravity of the situation and act with responsibility.
And once again I ask all of you, was it The Right Decision?
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