Pakistan today blocked Facebook in response to public outrage over a competition on the social networking site that encourages people to post drawings of the prophet Muhammad.
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, which controls internet access, directed service providers to block the website "till further notice" in compliance with a high court order obtained by a group of lawyers yesterday.
The court action was triggered by a Facebook page entitled Everybody Draw Mohammad Day - May 20 which contains over 200 images, many of them certain to offend Muslims, who consider all depictions of the prophet to be blasphemous.
As of today, the site had 5,000 followers and listed links to the pages of prominent critics of Islam such as the rightwing Dutch politician Geert Wilders and the Somali feminist Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
The page says its objective is to encourage the "free discussion of brutality of the radical aspects of Islam" and invites members to submit drawings of the prophet Muhammad by tomorrow .
Whatever its goals, the site's principal achievement may be to inflame Muslim opinion. Many of the 200 images already submitted depict Muhammad in a variety of unflattering poses and situations likely to offend even moderate Muslims. In one, a bearded face is superimposed over a bikini-clad body.
Others had a distinctly political tinge, such as a stereotypical photos of Islamist protests or images of an airliner smashing into the World Trade Centre under the slogan "Islam: a religion of peace."
The page's creator, whose identity is not revealed, appears to anticipate an angry and possibly violent backlash, by inviting members to post "death threats" on the site's wall, or public forum.
Anger over the site is focused in Pakistan, where it has been the subject of outraged media reports but as yet no street protests. In 2006, similar Cartoons of Muhammad published in a Danish newspaper sparked deadly riots.
In Lahore, a prominent Islamist student group with links to the country's largest religious party, Jamaat-e-Islami, distributed leaflets calling for a boycott of Facebook. "The west is conspiring against the honour of the prophet and of Muslims."
Youtube is not banned in Pakistan. Pakistani government only banned a few videos to be displayed in Pakistan. Anyone can access Youtube from anywhere in Pakistan.
Facebook , Youtube and other related websites have been banned in Pakistan as they contain things which are against Islam . E.g Facebook had a group "Draw Muhammad Day." Facebbok has seriously offenced Muslims by putting up a page Draw Muhammad Day. Which is clearly an attack over the Muslims, thereupon some Muslim states like Pakistan has banned it and other sites associated with it like youtube.
Due to religious reasons Facebook and You-tube are closed in Pakistan Accordingly from people they will not be opened But Facebook and you-tube will open in Pakistan In June.....
Youtube is banned in many countries. But I know why it is banned in Pakistan. Pakistani government banned youtube one year ago because the management of youtube denies to delete the blasphemous video of Prophet Mohammad PBUH.
This is not the case. Pakistan has banned YouTube only. Only Supreme Court can give orders to open this ban as it was imposed by Supreme Court.
Facebook has officially been banned in Pakistan by the PTA(Pakistan telecommunication authority) to protest against the group named "Draw Mohammad Day" despite countless requests to delete that group and also they say in Pakistan that facebook is going to return in apkistan in 3 weeks but nobodys sure!!
When youtube is blocked you can always go on proxy and open it but it is illegal!!
Yes,because it has bad stuff about islam and quran!!
In Pakistan
Actually, the use of Facebook can be banned at home, in school, and in certain countries.
No, it will not be viewed on YouTube. It will only remain on Facebook.
i think it is not possible that in pakistan phd on quaid-e-azam is banned