Death’s Notes and Thoughts

The Company over that the most internet traffic from Pakistan flows, PCCW, thought it was neccecary to turn off the internetaccess to surpress content while trying to filter out some malicious routes that a Pakistan ISP, namely PieNet announced earlier. PieNet took that step cause of a decree from the Pakistan Goverment that stated all ISP’s have to block YouTube out since it is a source of blasphemy. At least this is the offical reason for this step through some blog points out that there could be more behind all this. This more has to do with Pervez Musharraf, the current President of Pakistan. Actually Musharraf is a very self centered and insecure man these days and has recently learned from his sycophants that YouTube carries many videos critical of his government especially his torture on lawyers and political captives and since during this campaign technology played critical role in influencing people he wants to block out every kind of criticism. Again many citizens have reportedly uploaded video clips showing rigging under process in the constituencies where his allies either won or managed to dilute the verdict. There is distant though connected evidence why this must be true. points out that it might me a cover for a different thing that should get surpressed. This different reason has to do with Actually Musharraf is a very self centered and insecure man these days and has recently learned from his sycophants that YouTube carries many videos critical of his government especially his torture on lawyers and political captives and since during this campaign technology played critical role in influencing people he wants to block out every kind of criticism. Again many citizens have reportedly uploaded video clips showing rigging under process in the constituencies where his allies either won or managed to dilute the verdict. There is distant though connected evidence why this must be true. The day when the government decided to block YouTube two things happened. First AAJ TV brought back on air two of its anchors banned by Musharraf. The channel was immediately blocked by the satellite operator. The crime of the two anchors (Nusrat Javed and Mushtaq Minhas) was only to doubt Musharraf’s previous claims thinking out loud on television. Musharraf’s this ban has affected many of Pakistan’s leading anchors and opinion leaders of which I am aware of Dr Shahid Masood, Hamid Mir, Asma Sherazi and Kashif Abbasi apart from the above two. The second thing that happened was the airing of an investigative report by Geo television which showed footage of rigging in the constituencies of Musharraf loyalists made through hidden camera. This too has reportedly not gone down well with Musharraf. Since in the past the regime also tried to block google’s weblog hosting service blogger.com in the name of countering blasphemy, the ban on YouTube does not seem anything different. But Musharraf’s toadies are not happy with Pakistani blogs and cable channels too. So a similar ban may follow on these outlets too unless the west pressures him not to do so. This episode however has exposed Musharraf’s liberal credentials and committment to fighting extremism yet again. [parts copied from the before named blog, not necassary shows the opinion of the writer of this arcticle]

I can just say its terrible to see how some goverments try to surpress the civilians of their own country just to make sure they wont get criticed. Also this step does more damaged to them then only should down access to YouTube. Let us not forget that there is some buisness that needs the internet to operate so this causes problems not only the the people but also to the companys located in Pakistan. Also this dont throw a good light on this country, cutting their cilvilains off from the world and isolate them. Not they had a good reputation (in my personal opinion) anyway but this don’t make it better, and only help more aggressive parties to gain members. Well, let me hear your thoughts when u read this, and i personally believe way more into the surpression background for this action then some blassphemy reason. Sure Pakistan is a regligious country but still if that would be the cause more then just YouTube would have been blocked already…

-Death