Adil Najam
The news is finally in. As expected, the Lahore High Court has lifted the ban it had earlier imposed on the social networking site, Facebook.
So, what is the lesson in all of this? Who gained what in this entire episode? And who lost what?
The essentials of the news, as reported in The Express Tribune, are as follows:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) lifted the ban on social networking website Facebook on Monday. During today’s proceedings, the court demanded gaurantees that such content will not be accessible to users in Pakistan. The court observed that the act would be treated as contempt of court if it is repeated again. Meanwhile, deputy attorney general and PTA representative assured the court it would not happen again.
The court also outlined the government’s responsibility in such cases. The Lahore High Court banned Facebook on May 19 for hosting a blasphemous drawing contest and asked PTA to submit a written reply. Menwhile, the next hearing was adjourned till June 15. The popular social networking website was banned by the Lahore High Court after a controversy over it hosting blasphemous caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Muslims across the world were offended by a Facebook page which declared May 20 a day to caricature Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Despite a growing surge of protests by Muslims, Facebook had opted not to remove the page. The court had temporarily banned the social networking site Facebook till May 31 across the country. It had issued the order after an Islamic forum of lawyers sought ban on access to the popular social networking site for holding a contest of drawing caricatures on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Facebook comes online again in Pakistan, now Bangladesh bans it on hurting the sentiments of muslims, read everything on my post :
http://www.worldshotcake.com/web/facebook-finally- goes-online-in-pakistan/
btw, this is not spam, take care
@Techie: sorry to burst your bubble but 2 e-polls conducted by Awab Alvi(not a Mullah) and Pro-Pakistani website(against not a Mullah site) gave stats that 70%+ people were in favor of ban. Even in recent tweet Awab alvi admit that the lifting of ban order by LHC is against Public opinion. I appreciate Awab’s sensibility that he realized the reality.
twtpoll.com/gai283
bit.ly/bZnvRA
So far its banned on PTCL, once is lifted, i will happily remove my account by sending a “token of Thanks” to Mark Zukerberg to educate me with His Jewish teachings.
Amazed at the picture. These are the people moving public opinion on the future of technology in Pakistan!!!
Good decision. The ban was a stupid idea to begin with.
What is the lesson:
We [again] made fools of ourselves in front of the entire world. And that is all we did!