Concerns of Muslims prompt Pakistan to block some websites

May 21, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

ISLAMABAD

Pakistan blocked YouTube and many other Internet sites Thursday in a widening crackdown on online content deemed offensive to Islam, reflecting the secular government’s sensitivities to an issue that has ignited protests in the Muslim country.

The move came a day after the government obeyed a court order to block Facebook over a page called “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!” that encourages users to post images of Islam’s prophet Muhammad. Most Muslims regard depictions of the prophet, even favorable ones, as blasphemous.

Supporters of an Islamist political party protested against Facebook in at least three cities in small and peaceful rallies. The government, which is unpopular among many Islamists for siding with the United States in the war against the Taliban and al-Qaida, is hoping that the website bans will lessen anger in the days ahead.

“We are ready to die protecting the honor of our beloved prophet Muhammad,” said Aysha Hameed, one of 1,000 female protesters in Multan city.

Others — mostly members of the more-secular, educated elite — accused the government of blocking freedom of expression and hurting small businesses that use Facebook for marketing. Many questioned the need for the entire Face- book and YouTube sites to be blocked, instead of individual pages on them.

About 20 million of Pakistan’s 180 million people are Internet users, and social-networking sites are among the most popular, especially among those younger than 25. Pakistan’s Internet service providers’ association said usage had dropped by about 25 percent since Wednesday.

The offending Facebook page encouraged users to post images of the prophet Thursday to protest threats made by a radical Muslim group against the creators of the American TV series “South Park” for depicting Muhammad in a bear suit during an episode earlier this year.

“Such malicious and insulting attacks hurt the sentiments of Muslims around the world and cannot be accepted under the garb of freedom of expression,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit said.