On last friday PTA has ordered all the ISP's to block the popular video website Youtube.The site has been blocked because the "anti-Islamic" movies have been posted on the site.
This is an e-mail that a MicroNet customer got from the ISP:
Dear Valued Customer:
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (www.pta.gov.pk) has directed all ISPs of the country to block access to www.youtube.com web site for containing blasphemous web content/movies.
The site would remain blocked till further orders from PTA. Meanwhile, Internet users can write to youtube.com to remove the objectionable web content/movies because this removal would enable the authorities to order un blocking of this website.
We’re sorry for any inconvenience.
Best Regards
Manager Technical Assistance Center Micronet Broadband Pvt. Ltd. Islamabad
This is not the first time that something like this has happened in Pakistan. Last time Blogger.com was blocked as some of the blogs on Blogger were targeting the religious and cultural values of Muslims however this time the matter is related to politics.
In january,Turkey has blocked the web site because videos insulted the country's founding father,Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Youtube has been banned for about 4 months in Thiland last spring because of the offensive video clip of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The website would remain blocked in pakistan untill the objectional material will not be removed from the site.