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:
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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
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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, Urdu ke Naam, blogs.
Technorati tags applicable to this post: Pakistan
5 Comments
February 23, 2008 at 2:06 am
[...] Post at Democracy Rules! Pakistan Blocks/Bans YouTube by Pak Tea House addthis_url = [...]
February 23, 2008 at 5:34 am
This is so counter-productive! I was shocked last night to hear about this- Sabahat, thanks for writing here and giving clear evidence of the manipulation…
February 23, 2008 at 9:03 pm
But is it really blocked?.
Did you guys check from multiple cities?
February 24, 2008 at 5:13 pm
It is banned for sure. As Raza said, it is totally counter productive. If one thing that banning would achieve, it is Geert Wilders’ instant rise to Islamophobia hall of fame.
February 25, 2008 at 1:39 am
Can you see it if a video is embedded ? In an email?
If that works , and any of y’all want something off youtube , I ‘d be happy to help. Email is my sig at yahoo. (Subverting busybody would-be dictators is righteous/joyous work)
” Puritan : A person that is haunted by the fear that someone ,somewhere , is enjoying himself.”
-H.L. Mencken