Lahore High Court Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed on Monday ordered Federal Information Technology Ministry to block access to all those websites in Pakistan, especially American social networking website Facebook, which spread religious hatred on the internet, and submit a compliance report by October 6. The judge, however, made it clear that no search engine including Google would be blocked.
The court issued this order while hearing a petition, filed by Mohammad & Ahmad, a litigation firm, seeking a permanent ban on access to Facebook for hosting a fresh blasphemous caricature drawing contest titled “2nd Annual Draw Muhammad Day – May 20, 2011.” The petitioner pointed out that Islamic values were being derogated in the name of information that was hurting the feeling of billions of Muslims. He said that despite court orders, the ministry did not block websites spreading religious hatred.
Petitioner requested that Facebook and all similar websites be permanently blocked or banned in Pakistan for airing, placing, visualizing obscene caricatures of the Prophet (PBUH). The petitioner requested that Civil Lines Police Station SHO be directed to register a criminal case under Section 295-C and other relevant provisions of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against the perpetrators. Petitioner has sought directions for the federal government to stop display of material with respect to blasphemy of any religion or the Prophet (PBUH) on Facebook and all other websites in Pakistan. He requested court direct government to establish a permanent authority, having legal a status, which would monitor such objectionable activities across the world.