Friday, February 22, 2008

Democracy Rules! Pakistan Blocks/Bans YouTube

There's an old (from our youth :p) Bollywood song that goes "Main ro'oon ya hansoon; karoon mai kyaa karoon?!" or "Should I cry or laugh; To do, what do I do?"

Users subscribing to the Internet though the PTCL (Pakistan Telecom Corporation Limited, the semi- or formerly-government-owned corporation), in particular, have been getting the following message today if they tried to access YouTube:


--------------
Dear Internet Users

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (www.pta.gov.pk)has directed all ISPs of the country to block access
to www.youtube.com web site for containing blasphemous web content/movies.

The site would remain blocked till further orders from PTA. Meanwhile, Internet users can write to
youtube.com to remove the objectionable web content/movies because this removal would enable
the authorities to order un-blocking of this web site.

Best Regards

Manager
Technical Assistance Center
Micronet Broadband Pvt. Ltd.
Islamabad
-------------


For background, see:
http://www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2008/02/22/youtube-blocked-in-pakistan/
http://www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2008/02/22/vote-rigging-videos-in-karachi-could-this-be-why-youtube-is-blocked/
http://www.kidvai.com/windmills/2008/02/last-laugh.html



Cross-posted on the iFaqeer, Wadiblog, ProgressiveIslam.org, Pak Tea House, blogs.
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1 comment:

Ranjeet Kr. Vimal said...

LOL!!!! they should ban other porn sites..y youtube?? just because youtube is quite popular..this is madness ...on internet most of the traffic is generated by these type of video streaming only...
PS: read my blog..for more internet related informations :P http://bugsnerror.blogspot.com/

Thanx