blasphemy contents on social media in Pakistan – Ordered to be removed!
Pakistani students of Islamic seminaries chant slogans during a rally in support of blasphemy laws, in Islamabad, Pakistan, March 8, 2017. Hundreds of students rallied in the Pakistani capital, urging government to remove blasphemous content from social media
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the emotions and feelings of Muslims must be respected. He labeled blasphemous content as an attempt to play with the emotions of the Muslim Ummah and directed authorities to prevent the spread of blasphemous content on social media by taking all necessary measures and ensuring that it does not circulate on the digital space in the future. “The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the benefactor of entire humanity,” said Nawaz.
Pakistan previously banned Facebook for hosting allegedly blasphemous content for two weeks in 2010 while YouTube was unavailable from 2012 to 2016 over an amateur film about the Prophet Muhammad that led to global riots.
But critics claim the real goal is silencing dissent that has flourished online about everything from politics and the military to freedom of speech and women’s rights. Being labeled as “blasphemous” in Pakistan can make a person the target of violence.
“The judge ordered the government to make a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with Muslim officials only to look into the blasphemy issue,” said advocate Tariq Asad, who represents the hardline Red Mosque which brought the case to court.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-03-pakistan-threatens-block-social-media.html#jCp
http://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-cracks-down-blasphemous-social-media-content/3769606.html
