Pakistani authorities blocked access to Twitter on grounds that it was being a contest for blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Mohammed on Facebook.
The move came hours after interior minister Rehman Malik's claim in a message posted on Twitter early on Sunday morning that no restrictions would be imposed on micro-blogging site.
The information technology ministry said Twitter had been blocked for publicizing "blasphemous and inflammatory content". Calls for participation in the contest for blasphemous caricatures were being made o Twitter; it said.
The ministry said Twitter was blocked after it failed to respond several requests from Pakistan for taking action against the content.
The ministry claimed it had contacted Twitter several times but the site's administrators had failed to respond.
Users from across Pakistan reported that they were unable to access the site on mobiles and computers since the afternoon.. An estimated six million people use Twitter in Pakistan.
Earlier, Malik himself tweeted that the government had no plans to impose restrictions on Twitter and Facebook. "Dear all, I assure (you) that Twitter and (Facebook) will continue in our country and it will not be blocked. (Please) do not believe in rumors," he posted in a tweet.
In another tweet, Malik dismissed a question from a NY Times reporter about reports that the government intended to restrict access to Twitter. "Why(should) I even think of doing so?" Malik asked. The Pakistan telecommunication authority blocked access to Twitter directly without notifying internet service Providers Association of Pakistan.
On Saturday, TV news channels had quoted Information technology minister Raja Parvez Ashraf as saying that the government could restrict access to Twitter and FB as the sites were being used to circulate blasphemous caricatures. In the past the Lahore high court was ridiculed by internet users and commentators after it briefly banned FB over caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. Civil society and rights groups and activists have made use of Twitter in several recent campaigns.
The government recently dropped plans to acquire sophisticated equipment to block and monitor websites after a campaign on Twitter and several other websites.
Source: Times of India, P14, Times Global, Date: 21 May, 2012.
UPDATE:
In the words of Rehman Malik at Twitter it say that he had spoke to the Government to reopen the Twitter and how the people are felling about it, and he also informed Raja Parvez Ashraf about this.
"Dear All yes I spoke to PM and informed how people are feeling about it.PM ordered to reopen the twitter. I also spoke to Raja pervez abt it"
And as the above statement committed the Information technology minister, Raja Parvez Ashraf reopened Twitter and asked them not to post "Islam material that hurts Muslims Ummaha"
The move came hours after interior minister Rehman Malik's claim in a message posted on Twitter early on Sunday morning that no restrictions would be imposed on micro-blogging site.
The information technology ministry said Twitter had been blocked for publicizing "blasphemous and inflammatory content". Calls for participation in the contest for blasphemous caricatures were being made o Twitter; it said.
The ministry said Twitter was blocked after it failed to respond several requests from Pakistan for taking action against the content.
The ministry claimed it had contacted Twitter several times but the site's administrators had failed to respond.
Users from across Pakistan reported that they were unable to access the site on mobiles and computers since the afternoon.. An estimated six million people use Twitter in Pakistan.
Earlier, Malik himself tweeted that the government had no plans to impose restrictions on Twitter and Facebook. "Dear all, I assure (you) that Twitter and (Facebook) will continue in our country and it will not be blocked. (Please) do not believe in rumors," he posted in a tweet.
In another tweet, Malik dismissed a question from a NY Times reporter about reports that the government intended to restrict access to Twitter. "Why(should) I even think of doing so?" Malik asked. The Pakistan telecommunication authority blocked access to Twitter directly without notifying internet service Providers Association of Pakistan.
On Saturday, TV news channels had quoted Information technology minister Raja Parvez Ashraf as saying that the government could restrict access to Twitter and FB as the sites were being used to circulate blasphemous caricatures. In the past the Lahore high court was ridiculed by internet users and commentators after it briefly banned FB over caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. Civil society and rights groups and activists have made use of Twitter in several recent campaigns.
The government recently dropped plans to acquire sophisticated equipment to block and monitor websites after a campaign on Twitter and several other websites.
Source: Times of India, P14, Times Global, Date: 21 May, 2012.
UPDATE:
In the words of Rehman Malik at Twitter it say that he had spoke to the Government to reopen the Twitter and how the people are felling about it, and he also informed Raja Parvez Ashraf about this.
"Dear All yes I spoke to PM and informed how people are feeling about it.PM ordered to reopen the twitter. I also spoke to Raja pervez abt it"
And as the above statement committed the Information technology minister, Raja Parvez Ashraf reopened Twitter and asked them not to post "Islam material that hurts Muslims Ummaha"
0 comments: