Don't Block the Blog

The implications of living in a country with a strong religious and military background are largely over my head. However, a local colleague credited both issues as reasons Pakistan has not developed as quickly as other nations. Again, these chains of rationale are beyond the grasp of my experience over the past eight months here.



The blocking of blogs over the past few weeks has been credited to a government reaction to blasphemous materials on blogs. I hardly ever hear of sharia (or Islamic law) [outside of the FATA] in Pakistan which outwardly displays a democratic global image. In fact, this blocking of certain websites has been kept out of the national and international news until recently as groups, like AGABBIP and Don't Block the Blog, have worked diligently to get the word out.

I have faith that the internet service providers (ISPs) will overturn the blanket decision to block all websites created by www.blogger.com, even if it doesn't give American-style freedom of speech - which is still under dialogue by these groups. Currently, the area of contention to the government is 12 websites appearing in a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (at right).

It's a bit difficult to read the letter even if you click on it, but rumor has it that the websites include the following list:
* DrawMohammad.com * The Nordish Portal * Draw Mohammed Week * Mohammed drawings * Free Spech? * Plus + Ultra (plusultrablog.com) * Jesus and Mo * Mohammed Image Archive * Dumb Religion * Danish Cartoons Nearly Start WWIII - A flash animation of the story * Wear the MohammedBomb * Drawchrist.com

What will happen?

There will be people that avoid these difficulties by moving away from www.blogger.com (ex. republish on www.wordpress.com or other blog publishers). Others will find alternative other routes to their destination; for example, this site, askwhat.blogspot.com, is blocked as so many blogspot.com websites by many ISPs but individuals can change the same blog through pkblogs.com/askwhat without extra hassle. This will eliminate the symptom (i.e. blocks) but not the cause which may envelope other blogs in the future.

The activists will and are getting involved with signing petitions and writing influential members of our (local, national, and international) community. On the practical side, they argue that this ban deters investors from this potential market.

Samples of reactions [1] [2] [3]

In the news,
Supreme Court Orders Blasphemous Websites to be Blocked, Dawn (March 3, 2006) [1]
Government Directed to Block 'Blasphemous' Websites, Daily Times (March 3, 2006)
Supreme Court Orders to Block Blasphemous Websites, The Nation (March 3, 2006)
Pakistan Blocks Blogs on Cartoons, BBC (March 3, 2006) - [in Urdu]
Don't Block the Blog [Press Release], Free Press Release (March 6, 2006)
Free Speech is a Global Issue [Opinion], The News (March 7, 2006)
Defender of the Faithful [Letter to the Editor], Dawn (March 7, 2006)
PTA Tells Supreme Court that Websites Blocked, Dawn (March 14, 2006)
Blasphemous Net Sites Blocked, Dawn (March 21, 2006)
Internet Censorship the Pakistani Way, KO (March 29, 2006)

For more updated and comprehensive information, visit these Wiki resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Censorship_in_Pakistan
http://pakistan.wikia.com/wiki/Internet_Filter_Status
http://pakistan.wikia.com/wiki/Blog_Crackdown

Pakistan's Blog Blockade - World Opinion Roundup - Washington Post

Still interested in this topic? Read The Filtering Matrix.