Google this, Your Honor! – by Nargis Khan
Yesterday, Justice Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court issued orders to the Ministry of Information and Technology, asking to block access to all those websites that spread religious intolerance. This order was given out at the conclusion of the case that seeked to permanently block Facebook for hosting a competition of allegedly blasphemous caricatures.
Since the honorable judge was presiding over this matter that related to the nuances of freedom of expression on the internet, I will presume that he is proficient in matters related to IT and uses the internet regularly. With all due respect then, Your Honor, I most humbly request you to Google some things.
Google the definition of religious intolerance Your Honor, it might surprise you to know that religious intolerance is not limited to Islam, but to all religions, all beliefs, all faiths. Google the history of religious intolerance Your Honor and you will find atrocities committed against Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and a host of others. Google just a bit further Your Honor and you will find that religious intolerance extends to sects within these major religions, intolerance against Dalits, against Protestants, against Shias.
Then Google this Your Honor, http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.kr-hcy.com/, a website where you cannot enter till you accept that you are a Muslim as defined by the site. I would request you to squelch your repulsion and enter the site Your Honor and see what lies ahead. Witness the hatred that the site spreads against Shias and Qadyanis, Your Honor, and ban that site too, for is it not religious intolerance to call Shias ‘munkir, baaghi and dushman’? Is it not religious intolerance to ask people to join ‘the war’ against shias, and to ‘hunt them to the ends of the world’?
When you are done with that website, Your Honor, then Google this one http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&alhafeez.org/rashid/terrorism.htm. Once you have navigated through it’s myriad headings and articles, you will have gone through pages upon pages that claim among other things that Qadyanis are anti- Pakistan, that they are behind the acts of terrorism we face each day, that they have dealt mortal blows to the export sector. Is it not religious intolerance Your Honor, to put forth such claims which might entice the general public to react against a minority? Is it not religious intolerance Your Honor, to imply that a sect is the enemy of the State just because their religious beliefs are different from the majority?
And lastly Your Honor, if you have the stomach for it, please Google Zaid Hamid and witness the many sites that carry his hatred filled speeches against Hindus including his own brasstacks.com. Is it not religious intolerance Your Honor, when Hindus are called ‘paleet’ and said to be part of a conspiracy to bring down Pakistan? Is it not religious intolerance to blame every thing that goes wrong not on a neighboring country, but on the faith of the neighboring country? I need not remind you Your Honor, that many in this country are Hindus, including one of your most esteemed fellows, Justice Bhagwandaas.
Lastly, Your Honor, Google George Jeffreys and see how selectively harsh punishments can lead to notoriety in dispensing justice, the most noble of professions.
LHC wants to ban websites for religious intolerance. Not Hafiz Saeed, Zakir Naik, Farhat Hashmi, Aamir Liaquat, Zaid Hamid, Rana Sanaullah, Taliban?
Approximately 4.5 million Facebook users in Pakistan were unable to use the social networking site for several days last year after a ban was placed on the website. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday ordered the ministry of information technology to block access to all websites spreading religious hatred.
Justice Azmat Saeed, however, made it clear that no search engine, including Google, would be blocked. The court also directed the ministry to submit a compliance report in this regard by October 6.
The court issued the order after hearing a petition seeking a permanent ban on the American social networking website Facebook for allegedly hosting a competition featuring blasphemous caricatures.
Muhammad & Ahmad, a public interest litigation firm, filed the petition on behalf of Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique.
The petitioner said that Islamic values were being derogated in the name of freedom of information and consequently hurting the feelings of millions of Muslims. He added that despite the order of the court, the information technology ministry did not block websites spreading religious hatred. The petitioner requested that Facebook and all similar websites be permanently blocked in Pakistan for airing, placing, visualising blasphemous caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
He submitted that in light of the competition, SHO Civil Lines Police Station should be directed to register a criminal case under Section 295-C and other relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code against the perpetrators. The petitioner added that the government should be directed to establish a permanent authority, having a legal status, which would monitor such objectionable activities across the world, to avoid the desecration of Islam.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 20th, 2011.
Soooo, the author wants them to ALSO ban the mentioned sites / content or use this as the basis for NOT banning facebook etc.?
Would it be wrong of me to come to the conclusion that this article would not have been written had the beloved facebook not been targeted, and just the mentioned sites in this article were?
Why People do not go to the court against these groups and individual ?
As they say ignorance is bliss. Having seen the two websites talked about, I am feeling sick!!!!
This is an excellent and timely article by Nargis. Well researched and on a topic that is studiously avoided by the largely-compromised mainstream media.
As a PTI, Jamaat and Sipah Sahaba supportor, I am disgusted with this LUDP site. Now you are critisizing the sacrosanct Judiciary and sites of the good muslims like Sipah Sahaba! SHAME!
@Javaid Khan
“…good muslims like Sipah Sahaba”
are u talking about the same group that proudly proclaims the murder and killing of people belonging to various minority groups.
Murderers and Good Muslims dont have anything in common.
…..allah hum sub ko such samajhnay kee taufeeq ataa farmaye
Article an eye opener for all…..Thanks to Nargis.
If Talibans can explode cd shops, girls schools, why can’t courts ban accessibility of Facebook and Google.
Judicial Talibanization is in force big time. We are living in a very “shining Pakistan”.
I my opinion, there is no question to compare religious intolerance over Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and religious intolerance over different religions / casts/ sects etc.
For a muslim, Muhammad (P.B.U.H)’s status is well above the normal human / muslims. So there is no point to compare the situation with other religious intolerance.
And yes, sites like above should be inspected for spreading words not supported by evidences.
And a question for FB’s fans!! Why are u letting fb over your prophet’s cartoons? We will definitely go mad if someone put our mother’s or our daughter’s pic on FB and invite the whole world to paint as they want. Come on!! Wikipedia has also the whole collection of Muhammad (PBUH)’s cartoons, but at least they can claim it as a part of history. At least they don’t invite you to celebrate “Draw Mohammad day”. There is a clear difference. The Intention of infidels to check the remaining Iman in muslims. Choice is yours. After ban, you can still open fb using proxies. so don’t worry. You will enjoy the benEfits of FB. But be prepared for the upcoming questions by Allah on day of Judgment.
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I wish honorable judge would have placed a ban on media to glorify the TTP, ASW, LEJ and Jamat-e-Islami.
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