PUSH Demands End to Unjustified Internet Censorship in Pakistan

[PUSH - Press United to Serve Humanity]

Press Release For Immediate Release March 11, 2010

PUSH Demands End to Unjustified Internet Censorship in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (March 11, 2010): There should be a list, publicly available on PTA website, of the banned websites in Pakistan along with the reason of the ban. There should also be a procedure to review the decisions of blocking such websites. This was demanded by Press United to Serve Humanity (PUSH), a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists working for the freedom of press and protection of human rights, in the context of the call by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to observe March 12 as “World Day against Cyber Censorship”.

A recent poll revealed that almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right and the international bodies such as the UN are also pushing for universal net access. While the right to communicate, according to Dr. Hamadoun Toure, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), cannot be ignored, the situation in Pakistan is very strange where any website can be blocked by Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) without telling any reason or communicating with the webmaster.

“With a recently-issued regulation, on direction of Government of Pakistan, PTA can block access to internet or any single URL without mentioning the reason for the ban, having said that, we don’t have any rules for banning or for allowing a website. This is really funny and looks like you are to appearing for an exam with no books to study, while examiner will use his/her will to pass it. Regulation aimed at National Security Concerns, is feared to be used by politicians for their own benefits, for instance, a Youtube video was recently banned in Pakistan that showed President Zardari’s speech in Lahore.” A blogger at ProPakistani.com, a leading telecom news website expressed.

Last year, the PTA blocked links to a video alleging the misuse of power by Naval Chief who was shown as alleged land grabber. Whereas in February 2008 elections, Youtube website which hosts a video clip that showed election rigging by a major political party, was blocked in Pakistan but according to PTA the ban was  because of the number of "non-Islamic objectionable videos" hosted there . The webmaster of the ‘Make Pakistan Better’ website also reported recently that the PTA has directed that the site be blocked on an Internet Protocol level. The webmaster alleges that the site has been blocked for hosting anti-government content, though the PTA has cited no reason for the clampdown. “I think our site is blocked because of these same hard hitting articles. You simply cannot block a website on the basis of having a strong and opposing opinion, because in a country where anti-Islamic or Anti-Pakistan site’s are not blocked and even in an Islamic state where practically millions of pornographic sites are wide open so the whim of blocking a particular site based upon strong criticism against a certain group of individuals in power should not justifiable or even accepted by society.” The webmaster criticized. The official order for blocking the website issued by Director General Enforcement of PTA is also circulated on the cyber space.

PUSH Pakistan, while quoting the Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights which says “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” condemns this unjustified censor policy adopted by the telecom authority. PUSH has a clear stance that such censorship on the internet access mounts to curbing online free expression and it is actually another form of suppressing the media and freedom of expression. 

About PUSH Pakistan:
Press United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) is a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists from the print, electronic and online media; that support freedom of the press and desire to offer their time, talents, and skills in selfless and meaningful way to serve the mankind through creating mass awareness.

Supported by the PFUJ (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists), PUSH is determined to work together with other like-minded civil society organizations, media groups, activists and concern citizens worldwide by publicizing their news stories to global attention and to mobilize action for the implementation of the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

For more details, please visit: http://push.pk or send email to: in...@push.pk