Reaction on the streets

Pakistan has blocked two popular websites due to a controversial competition being held on Facebook on May 20. How has the ban on Facebook and YouTube affected you? Has the block on our accessibility to these sites highlighted the fact that how addicted and dependent we are on social networking websites and forums? How do you plan to pass your time instead now that browsing videos and random profiles is not an option?

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445 Responses to “Reaction on the streets”

  1. Abdul Wahab Siddiqui says:

    It was difficult to make a decision for an individual whether to use facebook or youtube or not, but this ban from the government has made it easier for all of us to decide. I am not affected by this ban as I am resident in the UK, but as a Pakistani I am encouraged not to use these sites. There is nothing more important for a Muslim than their religion and this literally sends a clear message to facebook and youtube administrators that all the rubbish about freedom of expression is acceptable until they don’t hurt someone’s personal beliefs.

  2. AWAIS MUKHTAR says:

    The blocking of facebook gives a strong message to outside world that we respect all other religion and deserve the same in return as well at any cost. I am glad that it represents Islamic solidarity often missing on these kind of issues at national level.

  3. Shahbaz says:

    Banning of these websites is not the solution, we are sending wrong message to the world.

    • Shaikh says:

      I hear you! but please come out of your Shell and suggest what would be best action to protest such nonsense – I think this is the best action Pakistan has taken to inform the whole world about the sensitivity of this issue – second I think most of users on FB, UT, etc., were not anyway using if for productive purpose except Chatting/watching video – so in my opinion if resource is not being used properly for the benefit for self – its much better to STOP it !

      *** Kudos! to Pakistan to take very strong stand on this matter – keep spreading the words for peace and justice brothers and sisters ***

    • sana yasin says:

      i think this is how we can send good message to the world.Allah Told in quran,kisai kai mazab kow bura na kahow wo tumharai mazab kow bura kahai ga and it will create conflict.

    • Muneeb Ahmed says:

      I agree with you. Solution is that, we should make a strong network which can react imediatedly against such activities and shut the mouth of those people. The network should broadcast such problem and the immediate response can be through out on the world wide web. Initially 100 people are enough. I am trying to implement this idea.

    • waqas says:

      then wat should we do. should we let our young generation and innocent minds to watch this nonsense. it is human nature that he seeks for that he has not seen or experienced.

      • Hassaan says:

        You cannot deny your own human nature – the point of being a good muslim is not blinding yourself to evil, but rather witnessing it and holding strong your will against it. What you are talking about is censorship and Policing of expression.

    • sadaf says:

      excuse me!!!! so can u please suggest a solution?????????

  4. baja says:

    Well i personally am against the idea of a “police state” . It should be every person’s own right to whether or not visit a certain website. If the people of pakistan had voluntarily stopped visiting facebook and youtube (which i doubt would have happened) that would have been a protest. Where as this will be written of as just an other case of dictatorial censorship.
    Also blocking wikipedia is going to make my job alot harder than it has to be (sigh)

    • Shahid Orakzai says:

      I bet u open up a page on fb & deny that hoocaust ever happened or hitler was a great man.
      your page will be blocked within no time

      • jane doe says:

        If you open up a page on fb praising Slobadon Milosevic and his genocide against Muslims your page will be blocked in no time. If you praise murderng Muslims your fb account will be closed. I know this as a fact.

    • Miss Kham says:

      The majority of our country realliy want this ban and they are supporting this ban as well.So if you are realliy talking about the democratic state where the majority is the authirityl so this is the right decesion of Paksitani Government to ban these websites. I guess it is for the first time when
      Paksitani Government has taken any step and the whole nation is supporting it.

      • Hassaan says:

        There was no vote. There is no democratic due process in all this. Your statement that the majority is supporting the ban can not be verified unless there is a vote.

    • Shayan says:

      Agree with you completely.

      • Anonymous says:

        Miss Khan the whole nation isn’t welcoming sensorship. I for one am not and so are a lot of people on this discussion board. Are we not part of the nation? Also a friend of mine did deny the holocaust on Facebook once and his account was not banned, so please stop perpetuating myths.

  5. Naeem says:

    Totally agree with the ban and below comments.

    and once again:
    “Glad it has been blocked. Now people will be forced to use time on more productive things than stay glued to facebook and youtube!”
    :-)

  6. Osama Javed says:

    Facebook and Youtube should be permanently banned.

    • Mishal says:

      If you do not like it, don’t use it. The rest of the world disagrees with you.

    • ahmed says:

      OK that is your opinion. Could you please give us some reasons for what you think?

      • Rauf says:

        Ahmed you are so engrossed in your FB/Youtube that you are indeed unaware of what the reason was?
        I pray you have some respect for your name – as this was one of the names our beloved prophet was known by.

  7. haroon feroz says:

    they are not social websites they are antisocial every body knows that and a waste of time

  8. Aurangzeb A Sheikh says:

    I am very happy and proud that Pakistan is the first muslim state to take an action of such a kind. I hope all muslim states should realise and act accordingly.

    • Shahid Orakzai says:

      I live in UAE and i am proud of pakistan for doing this act. It makes me proud among my friend circles for being from a nation which still has some love for its prophet left.

  9. Numan says:

    i m very that PTA has blocked these sites
    I think for first time pakistan has has taken such a brave step

  10. Adeel says:

    Blocking entire FB, youtube, and BB services (in some cases) is so utterly pointless and ludicrous. Just goes to show how intolerant we are as a nation. For us, its either “OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY”. And for those who believe that this will push our youth towards PRODUCTIVITY, well, hats off to you all.

    • Muz says:

      Using FB, youtube, and BB services (in most of the cases) is so utterly pointless and ludicrous. Just goes to show how wasteful we are as a nation. For us, its either “OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY”. And for those who believe that this will push our youth towards TOLERANCE, well, hats off to you all.

    • Noor says:

      Well, Amir & Sohail must realise the importance of the evil game being played at “think tank level”. Such kind of blesphemous acts are carried out to measure the level of” GHERAT & Bai Gherti” of Muslims….

      What HC ordered and What PTA did… IS PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT.

      • Eum says:

        I am highly surprised at how you know about the intricate games played at the “Think Tank Level”. Could you enlighten us more about how they think, and what they think and whether this page has anything to do with think tanks !!

    • Shahid Orakzai says:

      how intolerant we are – what does that mean????
      someone insults us, our prophet, our religion and we keep quiet – is that tolerance???
      just for keeping a few hundreds fans happy FB has insulted more than a quarter of the world population.
      Denying Holocaust or praising Hitler or the Nazi regime is a crime. But insulting our prophet is a freedom of speech.

      • Sagar says:

        Wow…I agree to your two sentences. But still I have a problem banning any sites/forums for this reason.

        Please Shahid, join the bandwagon and just post these two sentences everywhere, and I’m sure 99.99% of the people on those sites will support you, if not by posting their views but atleast from within. If only you guys join the debate and propagate your thoughts, will other people join you.

        Remember the internet is a greatest democracy “For the citizens, by the citizens,…” and I’m afraid the Muslims are only avoiding becoming the citizens of this greatest democracy..

    • ahmed says:

      Adeel, your opinion may be right, tell us more about this PRODUCTIVITY thing,please

    • Atiq Khan says:

      If someone make caricatures of your father then what will be your reaction?

    • Faisal says:

      How intolerant we are!!!!? Would you please elaborate on that a bit? First they intimidate you by publishing the cartoons knowingly that it is the rudest thing you can do to the Muslims. Second, to make it even worse they start a competition? I am sorry but what exactly does it mean to be tolerant? Let people make a mockery of the most precious and most respectable personality of your life and keep on doing it in the most hateful way?

      I am disgusted at the way some people are criticizing and politicizing this issue. Well Done PTA! Ban them forever!

    • Sohail Qureshi says:

      LOL, perfectly put into words. I am just perplexed at the actions of the government. We as a nation have publicized, what would have been an event of a few hundred people, to the whole wide world. Bravo.

      • Saher says:

        It is not the case of acting against “FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE”. If the govt. had not taken any action like this, we would have been the people blaming govt. again for not taking any step against these blasphemous activities. I am happy with this kind notice of govt. on public voice even on unethical act of few hundered people. Protesting means Protesting. Either by action or words. If someone says we cannot tolerate when someone disrespect our very own RELIGION, then it is THE TRUTH.

        • Sohail Qureshi says:

          So you are saying that every time someone with a polluted mind does something like this, our government should go and block everything in Pakistan? If it’s not accessible in Pakistan doesn’t mean it’s NOT THERE. Hiding behind a ban won’t change the reality that we as a nation are not willing to debate with these people who are mislead. This is the context in which tolerance was used. We should have the courage to actually face these people and convince them with reasoning, with knowledge about Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Banning things attracts more people and gives the impression that we just aren’t willing to debate with them. If we don’t talk we can never show them why it is important to us and why they shouldn’t do it again. Right now it’s a profitable business for them as they get free publicity from Pakistanis all over the world.

        • Rizwan says:

          Facebook did delete the page in question.

          • Mskhan says:

            it wasn’t deleted by them,the creators themselves took it down after 20th ,as their purpose was fulfilled,and if we dun give a proper reaction this page might APPEAR on every 20th of may…

          • Sameer says:

            @Rizwan

            According to facebook that page did not violate it term. It was possibly removed by its creator

  11. faisal arsalan says:

    well ithink twitter is a good alternative…but all these sites are time killing…

  12. Yassir says:

    it should be a long life ban

  13. Shafiq Xaidan says:

    I have been a regular user of facebook and youtube and now that these two sites have been banned it got me thinking for a while what to do online now ? well i still havent figured it out yet but one thing is for sure that whatever alternative i find to facebook, it’ll be more constructive and useful. Im glad they have banned these sites because any disprespect of our religion and Drawing caricatures of our beloved Prophet(peace and blessings be upon him) is in no way acceptable to any true Muslim. I only hope that the ban sends a message to those non believers that the so called freedom of speech is insane and unacceptable and that if they dont stop at this than may Allah give the authorities the courage to ban these sites and any other intended to spread anarchy and anger among Muslims permanently.

    • Asad says:

      I totally agree with you.

      I think our government did a really good effort. We all as muslims should unite against any such act and this is not only about just some stupid sites, its our faith our belief. We really respect our beloved prophet and (through his teachings) our religion tells us to respect other religions too.

  14. yusuf says:

    Now the youth will have more time to study coz of no FarmVille…. Ban FB forever!

    • Suresh says:

      Yes, we should ban Facebook, Youtube and all of internet and TV too. We do not need any of these things in our life

    • Usman Mughal says:

      In think we should not boycott facebook due to increase involvement in
      studies or any other social work.

      What i believe we should boycott facebook due to this reason, So we can face Hazart Muhammad(PBUH) on the day of Judgement.

    • abdul says:

      immature comment.

    • baja says:

      lol if you really think thats the reason “youth” is not into studies, you are in for a big surprise dude!

      • Uzma says:

        If you want to make the youth study then another ban should be imposed; on D Juice! :p

        So this ban is temporarily and FB will be back very shortly!

  15. Nalini Redfield says:

    Feel bad for common Pakistanis. No Youtube, No Facebook, No Songs. No Dance. No interesting Plays / Dramas. No new thoughts allowed. No Government. No Laws. So many killings.
    And I wonder, where are they going?

    • kara says:

      Dear nalini, youtube, fb, songs, dance , plays or dramas are not the only things in life…there are many things in life which we are enjoying…just tell me weren’t we alive much before Internet or facebook or youtube? Are we dead without facebook or youtube? I m against the ban but in some extent I am happy that this ban can give opportunity to many young Pakistanis to make their own social sites. We don’t need Facebook or Youtube if they can’t mend their ways.

    • oneeb says:

      may be you have got it totally wrong,its just facebook and youtube that are blocked,no body is stopping us from singing dancing or watching plays and dramas,
      i think we should not exaggerate things..

    • Noor says:

      Nalini Redfields … you dont need to feel bad for common Pakistanis… Ban on You tube or Face Book is not ban on one’s life… Come on Grow Up… There are so many alternatives to amusement and recreation… Listen to world’s top musical band “junooon”. FYI they are Pakistanis…..

    • Muhammad Abdullah says:

      We’re using our time on more productive things. We are religious by nature, and if any one tries to challenge or test that, then we will inshAllah do every thing in our power to protest and boycott.

    • Osman says:

      Hey Nalini, you are under no obligation to make the world a better place,so please stop feeling sorry for us.No songs? No ‘interesting plays’ and dramas? you need to get your facts straight before you talk otherwise you just sound ignorant.And heres a new thought,please layoff facebook and youtube for a while and actually do something real in life so you actually sound like a mature person next time to think of posting something online.

    • Saher says:

      Our lives are not slave of Facebook Youtube, or any of the website. This is the underline message as well. Nor these links can deprive us from any sort of entertainment we think we should go for. You don’t have to be worried about where we are going because we know our direction in this case.
      Commonsense says it all that what does protesting/boycott against something unethical mean…

    • Shahid Orakzai says:

      no new toughts for us coz we dont have fb or utube. gimme the last productive thing or an innovation u did while on fb. As for us Pakistanis and Muslims at large we can do anything for the luv of our prophet

    • Al says:

      Well said by Ms. No idea about Pakistan

    • Ali Rana says:

      Well nalini no more need to worry about these Pakis honey…As this blocking is not forced on us. We have done it our own…Moreover there are number of others such websites to be used…What makes us wonder is that people have become so unrealistic in their social life that they are now dependent on fake id’s made on such ridiculous websites…

    • sara says:

      life is not all about facebook and youtube a common Pakistani can get entertainment even with out them.

    • Zohaib Karim Noorani says:

      thats just your thinking.. pakistani’s were rocking the world when there was no FB, YOU TUBE….. Still they are rocking the world by banning these sites which are nothing but waste of time and i agree to ur thinking that FB contains nothing but foolish activities which u named above and i believe that we will rock the world in future too, without these use-less web pages.. AND AT THE SAME TIME I FEEL BAD FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WHO CAN SEE PEOPLE CROSSING THE ETHICAL BOUNDRIES AND STILL DOING NOTHING….. want to applaud the efforts of pakistani government!!!

    • mahwash says:

      well thinking that facebook n youtube r the only entertainment n purpose of life….here we differ …we hav got t.v n dvds for so called dramas, songs, plays n dance ! common pakistanis still will be havin more options to find some recreation. if it had been only this that we are deprived of fun i could easily debate against it but here the case is different …we r being targeted right at our v sensitive point about which the world is quite aware of but still west attitude is the same.. now this cannott be tolerated ne further! if west cant understand one way we hav our ways to make them understand. hav we ever tried to humiliate their belief? never !! coz we, our religion respect that and even being tortured again n again we’ll never do that.Having said that we pakistanis are not staunch muslims but when it comes to opt bet facebook n our prophet’s s.a.w.dignity then certainly we know what to choose. *peace*

    • Adil says:

      Well I feel sorry for your ignorance Nalini as it is the common Pakistanis who are saying that these two sites should be banned till they are free from offensive materials. New thoughts are certainly allowed here but there is certainly no space for old vulgar & morally disintegrated thoughts that even the Governments and Laws can’t keep a check on in other parts of the world.

      • Haseeb Ahmed says:

        Ban them forever.. I like govt for banning them.. Addicts want them. Normal people dont. I used to waste my time on them. Realized now that they are waste themselves..

  16. The two blocked website was more used for time killing.Our country is developing and youth is great asset of our country.Now, youth can explore mental faculties by using their brain in fruitful manner which will ultimately help to the development of the country.

    • JaredA says:

      The majority of your country doesn’t have a clue about what they are protesting. Are you really inane enough to think that these illiterates spend any time on the Internet, let alone Facebook or Youtube?

  17. fahad says:

    Yes

  18. Faisal says:

    It’s funny how China bans google and other sites for political content and when Pakistan bans a site it becomes a controversy. Facebook says it won’t take down the content so fine we should ban them. It should be a permanent ban not just for a couple of days.

  19. Immad Alam says:

    Not only has it highlighted how addicted we are to these websites but also the fact that how dependent we are on the west for everything in our life. Muslims need to find and define alternatives for themselves. Mere boycotting is not the solution to the problem. How many goods and how many websites are we going to boycott before such things stop to happen..that’s the real question!

  20. Junaid says:

    The blocking of these websites is not effecting my time as these websites are for just time pass.

  21. Aamir Nawab says:

    “Glad it has been blocked. Now people will be forced to use time on more productive things than stay glued to facebook and youtube!”

    Agreed!

  22. syed says:

    Highly unproductive web site, we pakistani or whole muslims always busy in non productive work. I have seen people who don’t know computer or what is computer for? but they know youtube, facebook, twitter.
    I am in IT since more that 12 years and i have never see used facebook or twitter and even i don’t know what it is for. But i have seen childs of age 10 to 13 are using facebook. I was surprised that what they are doing? they even can’t read or write english properly but using it. Muslims should work for research or productivity instead of vasting time on such sites.

    • SADIA says:

      Yes I completely agree with you.

    • Sarmad says:

      Is socializing a wastage of time… why do you confine your opinion within your surrounding I have been using FB since an year and have seen about 2-3 users below age 18 who are my cousins using FB with parents permission. They know English more than we “above 18″ do because most of them are studying in O’ levels institutions.

  23. Muneera Khan says:

    Glad it has been blocked. Now people will be forced to use time on more productive things than stay glued to facebook and youtube!

    • Zubair says:

      I totally disagree. It is absolutely my right to spend my time as I choose, either productive or otherwise and no1 has the right to take that away from me!!!!

    • Hassan says:

      Agree with you. I myself addicted to youtube just listening songs and wasting time these two are absolutely wastage of time as well as money.

    • Ali Iqtidar says:

      While I personally like the idea of a more productive society as much as the next person, I doubt whether removing access to sources of entertainment will necessarily lead to that. Seems more likely to me that people will just find new ways to remain as productive (or unproductive) as they were before these bans took effect.

      • Saad says:

        Well I couldn’t agree more to the point that this facebook was an addiction. Even now, albeit I support the ban, I keep thinking of what my facebook status would be about it being blocked. I was surprised to see how much dependence we have to such things. I feel it would definitely lead to better use of online time. P.S. it would hurts facebook economically (somewhat).

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