Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Dr. Awab Alvi protests against Facebook ban in Pakistan

[Pakistan 1st]

Dr. Awab Alvi's Facebook profile picture..

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and a front line soldier of freedom of speech in Pakistan Dr. Awab Alvi protested against Lahore High Court order and the nationwide Govt's ban of Facebook. Dr. Awab Alvi who is also the son of a senior most leader and Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and a member of PTI Central Executive Committee Dr. Arif Alvi recorded his vigorous protest at Karachi press club and in a crowded press conference he said that the banning of useful and informative social networks such as Facebook and youtube is against the freedom of journalism and the freedom of speech. He also said that this Govt's action will push Pakistani nation towards dark ages. He also demanded the immediate restoration of Facebook.

Later in his famous blog site "Teeth Maestro" he stated:

"Facebook is the worlds most popular social media network and is used by over 400 million globally. In Pakistan, over 2 million people use Facebook to stay in touch with their friends and family, conduct business, manage events, and share photos, news, and other content.

While we recognize that sites on the Internet are used to spew hatred and incite violence, we steadfastly believe that governments have no right to control access to information. We believe that every citizen has an inalienable right to freely access information and by censoring Facebook, the Government of Pakistan has taken away that right. This action will have a very negative impact on Pakistan, especially considering that countless small businesses, nonprofit organizations, restaurants, art galleries, magazines, and media outlets use Facebook to conduct day-to-day business and share information with their stakeholders.

Thousands of Pakistani bloggers were deprived of the freedom to express themselves and interact with others. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority now has the ability to block specific pages on the Internet and could have banned just the single blasphemous page. As members of civil society and professionals who depend on social media networks for our daily communications, we demand the immediate restoration of Facebook and an end to Internet censorship by the Government of Pakistan."
​

In reaction, press and media community of Pakistan strongly condemned Dr. Alvi's statement in favor of Facebook and said that before supporting facebook's freedom Dr. Alvi should know the difference between freedom of speech and vulgarity and that insult of Islam and Prophet Mohammad will not be accepted at any cost even if we have to completely boycott such Anti-Islamic social networks.

 

[Wadaich]

Shame on Mr. Alvi. "Lanatullah"

 

[Nice2MU]

I feel pitty for Imran Khan, not for this stupid Alvi, that he gatthered around him such idiot in party. This Stupid Alvi should care about the feelings of the Muslims. We all know tht Fbook is an informative social website but it is a way to record our protest to F Book. I dont know who this Stupid Alvi is trying to make happy?

 

[MANNO]

That is why Imran Khan is facing a failure in politics. He should cancel the membership of this coward!

 

[psycho1]

Who is he. Imran khan Should kicked him out of his party.

shame on you idot. he might have some complex of moderate muslim or may be he does not want to be the closure of facebook bez he want to reply them. lolz what a loser.

I love and respect the descions of High court to baned facebook in Pakistan. great job. thank you Pakistan and pakistani people. trully great muslims. mashallah:pakistan-flag-wavinzindabad

 

[Hamza]

What a pity... I think Imran Khan should take serious action. Really strange. He has no right to live in a Muslim country. (If it is true as said above) Son of a bitch Freedom of Speech.....

 

[MYCOUNTRY]

I have a great respect for PTI & Imran Khan BUT THIS KIND OF STUPID PERSON WHO DON,T KNOW ABOUT OUR FEELINGS HOW CAN BE A LEADER OF ISLAMICE REPUBLICE OF PAKISTAN.
SHIT ON FACEBOOK AND ITS LOVERS,,,,,,,,,,,,,EVEN IF HE IS FROM PTI OR MQM,,,THEY ARE SIMPLY STUPID.

 

[m.qayyum]

Freedom of speech my.....L

 

[m.qayyum]

Hey guys join hands in flooding attack over bastard uglyfacebook..

Please forward this message as much as u can....

http://www.sajidraheem.com/fb.html

Flooding Attack file: http://www.sajidraheem.com/attack_facebook.zip

 

[abduttawwab]

Facebook: Social Networking or Social Engineering?



The big question is, What is social networking and how is it useful?

Of course you will hear the usual bleating saying, It is so nice to know what my sister is doing.blah, blah.

So ask this person, Why cant you send your sister an email asking what she is doing and she can respond to you. Or even better, if you can, call your sister and talk to her. But no, I must talk to my sister in a space where it is not only the sister who is listening but almost anyone who cares to listen, even if that person is a total stranger. So is it about your concern for your sister or is it something else?

So also in this space are pictures which really have no place outside the home like the pictures showing you hugging your sister or wife or whoever! And so on and so on. I dont think I need to describe all that there is to people who put it there in the first place.

Yes, of course there are controls. Tell me all about them. Tell me also how come almost nobody uses them. How many Facebook profiles do you know who have the maximum control activated where only their immediate family can see them? And of course in the end, all control is only as good as the techies and geeks on the Facebook site allow. After all they can access all that information anyway.

So what is really being achieved by Facebook, Twitter and so on? (Twitter?? Whoever coined that term was clever. Talk about under the belt. Who twitters? A twit!! but then I suppose a twit doesnt know that he is a twit, right?)

So what is achieved?

What is achieved is what would be the equivalent of peeping in through your window. Wanting to know what you are doing all the time. I want to know what you are doing all the time and I want you to know what I am doing all the time.
Intrusion into privacy when it is done against your will is unpleasant. So what is better? Get you into a state of mind where you will volunteer to tell people all about your internal organs on your own. See the change? An intruder is an intruder only when he intrudes against your will. If you invite him in, then he is a guest, not an intruder. Same person, same you but different rules. And thats what it is all about, the rules of engagement.

So is it social networking or is it social engineering?

The purpose is to change the rules of the society. Break barriers. Destroy the boundaries that protect us.

And where does this lead to? Addiction and intoxication. Addiction to seeing what others are doing and telling others what you are doing on a daily, hourly, minute by minute basis. And being intoxicated with the false feeling that you are so interesting that people are really interested in what you are doing. Not realizing or willing to believe that these are the actions of other intoxicated people.

You dont like the word intoxication? Just dont log onto your Facebook or Twitter account for two days and monitor your heartbeat, blood pressure, tremor in your mouse, whatever and you will see what I mean.
And all this for what? What is achieved with the time that you spend reading about others adenoids and telling them about yours? Incidentally I know what adenoids means and that you dont talk about them. But let us not mention what facebookers really talk about!

So what did you achieve? Just ask yourself this question, What did I achieve by being on Facebook and Twitter (or whichever of these infernal social networks you are on) over the past month, year or whatever period. Remember this is a serious question because you Muslim/ah are spending your time (life) doing it. And that makes it among the first questions that you will have to answer to Allah. So what did you achieve? Prepare the answer. You will need it.

Social networking is social engineering. Its purpose is to change the values and ethics of people. This is done, in its most benign form, to encourage you to indulge more and more in the consumerist society that is all consuming. We think we are the consumers. But we are in reality the consumed. Just think, how many of you buy things, see shows, go to restaurants (and other places), like or dislike things because of campaigns on Facebook and Twitter? See what is happening? Your minds are invaded, your thoughts are influenced, and consequently your actions are manipulated and you may not even realize it.
Today Muslims the world over are very angry with the latest offensive of the Facebook. But an impulsive reaction will hardly do us any good. Just staying off of the offensive site for one day, as many have advocated, will only highlight our capitulation to it.
It is time we rethink what are we doing with our lives and say no to social engineering. It is time to get off of Facebook, Twitter, and other similar sites that are destroying us from within.


By: Mr. Mirza Yawar Baig
Source: http://albalagh.net/current_affairs/0103.shtml

 

[abduttawwab]

Freedom of Expression?



With the latest in-your-face act of the Facebook, the issue is once again attracting headlines. Should Muslims react? How should they react? Where do they stand on the philosophical issue underlying all this?



In the media the issue has been framed as a clash between two camps. One camp stands for freedom of expression. The other wants to curtail it. Needless to say the first camp is enlightened and virtuous. The other is a relic of the dark ages. The clash in other words is between a civilized and civilizing West and Islam that just refuses to be civilized.
Once you accept this framing of the whole issue, the outcome is already decided. Are you for freedom of expression or not? It is a loaded question, and just like the yes/no question, “Have you stopped beating your wife?” no matter how you answer it, you remain guilty.
Look at the typical Muslim response which begins, “We also believe in freedom of expression but…” It matters little what you say after that. It is obvious that you are trying to add exclusions and limitations to a basic moral value while the other side is asking for no such limits. It is not difficult to see which side will come out ahead.


But this predicament is a result of uncritically accepting a false statement about the nature of the clash. For the real clash is not between those who are for and those who are against a freedom. Rather it is between two different freedoms. On the one hand is the freedom tofrom insult. Whether it was the Satanic Verses of the 1980s or the Cartoons of 2005 and their endless reproduction since then, if they stand for any freedom, it is freedom to insult. Pure and simple. Muslims, on the other hand, have stood for and demanded freedom from insult. Nothing more. Nothing less. insult. On the other is freedom
These are certainly opposing values. You can be for one or the other. And the question does arise, which one is a better value.



To see that let us imagine a society that truly believes in the first as a cherished moral value. It celebrates freedom to insult and guards it at all costs. Every member of it enjoys this freedom and practices it regularly. In a business everyone insults everyone else. The boss is insulting the employees, the employees are insulting the bosses. The salesmen are insulting the customers. The accountants are insulting the creditors. Everyone is enjoying the great freedom to insult. The same is true of the home. The parents are always insulting the children. The children are constantly insulting the parents. The spouses are incessantly insulting each other. And in doing so they all stand on the high moral ground because freedom to insult is such a fundamental freedom on which the society is built.



Actually contrary to the claims of the pundits if the Western society was truly built on this “cherished moral value,” it would have perished a long time ago --- consumed by the fires of hatred and negativity generated by this freedom. No home, no neighborhood, no village, no business, no organization and no society can survive for long if it makes freedom to insult as a cornerstone of its freedoms. Clearly most who advocate this freedom do not practice it in their daily lives. But they are making an exception in the case of Islam and Muslims. The driving force behind this is not any great moral principle but a deep rooted hatred born of ignorance.
Software professionals sometimes use a term called beature. It stands for a bug turned into a feature. A bug is a defect in the software. A feature, on the other hand, is a desirable attribute. A beature is a defect that is presented (thanks to slick marketing) as a feature. Freedom to insult is also a beature. It is the growing sickness of Islamophobia in the West which is being presented as a high moral value, packaged by the slick marketing departments as freedom of expression.



Well, whether or not freedom to insult is a Western value, Islam has nothing to do with it. It lays emphasis on its exact opposite: the freedom from insult. It values human dignity, decency, and harmony in the society. The freedom of religion it ensures includes freedom from insults. While it does not shy away from academic discussion of its beliefs and showing the falsehood of non-Islamic beliefs, it makes sure that the discussion remains civil. In those discussions it wants to engage the intellect of its opponents; in contrast those who itch to insult their opponents are interested in satisfying their vulgar emotions. Thus while its most important battle is against false gods it asks its followers to refrain from reviling them. (Qur’an, Al-anam, 6:108). It also reminds them to stay away from harsh speech. “Allah loves not the utterance of harsh speech save by one who has been wronged.” (Qur’an, Al-Nisa, 4:148). Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, who is being reviled by the scum of the world, taught Muslims to never let the low moral standards of their adversaries dictate theirs.
As a result of these teachings Muslims can never even imagine insulting any Prophet --- from Adam to Moses to Jesus to Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Even when they ruled the world, Muslims treated the religious leaders of non-Muslim also with respect – even during battles. In the Baghdad court Jewish and Christian scholars engaged in open discussions with the Muslim savants. Needless to say they had not been attracted by the freedom to insult but its exact opposite. Freedom from insult is a fundamental value that assures peace and harmony. It leads to healthy societies. And Muslims are very proud of their impeccable record here.



What is true of a home or a village is also true of the world as it has become a global village. Now, more than ever before, the world needs the harmony and tolerance that can only be assured by the freedom from insults.


By: Mr. Khalid Baig

Source: http://albalagh.net/food_for_thought/0096.shtml

 

[hkniazi]

Facebook Ban

couple of days ago on some thread here in Siasat.pk a very though provoking comment was put from a brother that "Sahaba-e-Karam did not killed that lady who used to throw garbage on Prophet (S.A.W.)", infact that lady got converted to Islam later on. A boycott of facebook over this issue I think should 've been enough but a total Ban on Facebook is not appreciatable. This way you are only blocking the flow of information to the people. This is what these "POLLUTITIONS" want and that is the same they have been doing in the past, figuring out the reasons so that the people should stay in darkness. And we as Muslims are very touchy when it comes to religion. It is good to be touchy about ur religion but don'T think or take any steps emotionally, think realistic.

every picture has got some darkside, take this as the darkside of facebook but blocking it on this basis is not the solution of the problem.

there are thousands of Porn sites easily accesible in Internet, which I bet many of us visit frequently, but we never raise our voice against them or want the governement to put a block on them.

Anyway now facebook has already appologized for on the issue so I think that the ban should be lifted. At the end of the day it is my thinking, what do u think? plz share.

 

[hkniazi]

Shame on Mr. Alvi. "Lanatullah"

this is only what we are good at. Send Lanaullah on somebody ASAP wihtout even thinking that, How does Allah evaluates this man. Well my friend with this kind of thinking we can never proceed in our lives.

 

[Saladin A]

According to the Western thought and morals, social engineering is legalized homosexuality, sodomy, prostitution, drug addition, open air sex in streets, alleyways, parks, on the trains and underground, binge drinking until you fall flat on the ground drunk, gambling, womanizing, sex with children and for women to walk 75% naked.

Everything that appeals to baser human instincts is giving the name of 'social engineering' and made legal and respectful in the Western societies. It is also called social progress and moral advancement but Muslims call it moral degradation.

 

[Wadaich]

Such sites rip apart our social and family structure. These expose brothers and sisters to the lusty. These sites are nuclear attack on islamic values. It is 4th generation warfare. Please counter it.

 

[Salik]

I would better live in the dark ages ...... than keep listening to the defamatory remarks upon my beloved Prophet Muhammad S.A.W

 

[YAHYA87]

Its obvious that PTI will comeout in support of Facebook as everyone knows that whole PTI is nothing in grass root level but only in Internet and these websites like facebook in short PTI is an Online party....So by banning facebook their supporters will no more available to support their party so to get their supporters they are doing this....the strange thing is that so far Musharraf didnt spoke against Facebook ban as his whole support in Pakistan is also in Facebook....

 

[hkniazi]

Its obvious that PTI will comeout in support of Facebook as everyone knows that whole PTI is nothing in grass root level but only in Internet and these websites like facebook in short PTI is an Online party....So by banning facebook their supporters will no more available to support their party so to get their supporters they are doing this....the strange thing is that so far Musharraf didnt spoke against Facebook ban as his whole support in Pakistan is also in Facebook....

WASHINGTON: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf said Thursday he planned to return from exile and re-enter politics, and did not rule out a new bid for the presidency. Musharraf, who has mostly lived in London since losing power following 2008 elections, visited Washington this week and met quietly with prominent Pakistanis at a ritzy hotel to discuss his future plans.
In an interview with CNN, Musharraf said he intended to return to politics, although he was coy when asked about the time-frame.
I certainly am planning to go back to Pakistan and also join politics. The question already of whether I am running for president or prime minister will be seen later, he said.
Officials in Pakistan earlier said Musharraf had applied to register a new party with electoral authorities, setting the stage for a political comeback.
There are security issues. Maybe my wife and my family is more worried than I am but there are security issues which one needs to take into consideration and that is why I'm not laying down any dates for my return, he said.
But I do intend launching and declaring my intentions formally, sooner than later, he said.
But Musharraf could face a criminal trial if he returns to Pakistan for detaining judges in 2007 as he attempted to cling to power.
Musharraf is also wanted for questioning over allegations in a UN-led investigation that he could have done more to prevent the December 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf disagreed with the UN report, saying, I think all the security was provided to Bhutto.
In fact, it was me who warned her about the threat to her, Musharraf said.
Musharraf said he had previously stopped Bhutto from going to the venue where she was later killed.
A lot of political aspersions were cast on me that her movements are being restricted. But she decided to go again, Musharraf said.
Musharraf said that he fully supported the military campaign ordered by Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the lawless northwestern tribal areas.
The operation has won wide praise in the United States, where officials were long suspicious that elements of the Pakistani establishment during Musharraf's rule played a double-game of supporting extremists.
But Musharraf joined the government in criticizing the US deployment of unmanned drones to kill wanted extremists in remote parts of Pakistan.
Musharraf mused that Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-American accused of trying to set off a car bomb in New York's Times Square, was angered by the drone campaign.
I wonder whether this Faisal Shahzad incident... has he been affected by indiscriminate bombing by the drones? Musharraf said.
Musharraf also backed the Pakistani government in banning Facebook over a furor about a page hosting caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
I am a great supporter of Facebook, Musharraf said.
And that is why my Facebook was launched and it's going on very, very successfully, said Musharraf, whose Facebook page has attracted more than 200,000 fans.
Asked by CNN whether the Pakistani decision to block Facebook was the right move, Musharraf said that in Pakistan and in the Muslim world generally there is extreme sensitivity over casting negative aspersions on prophets.
One has to look into, to obviously take some measures, because people were agitating, Musharaff said.
These are sensitive issues, he added. And for the sake of independence of media, liberty of speech, we cannot hurt sensitivities of millions of people.
We must not do that. I am against that, he said.
The Pakistani authorites blocked Facebook on court order after caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) appeared on a Facebook page created by an anonymous member who said he was acting to promote freedom of speech.
Facebook has expressed disappointment at being blocked and said it was considering whether to make the offending page inaccessible in Pakistan.


http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect...f-plans-return-to-pakistan-and-politics-ss-07

 

[Pakistan 1st]

I dont know who this Stupid Alvi is trying to make happy?

Dr. Awab Alvi is the son of a senior most leader and Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and a member of PTI Central Executive Committee Dr. Arif Alvi

 

[ghias]

I read few comments but didn't read each of yours. few people are still against the ban imposed on face book and you tube . Well this ban is temporarily and it wont put us in dark ages if we stay away from face book specially. I use facebook only to contact with few friends and family as i do consider sharing too much is absolutely rubbish idea . How many people lost their jobs due to this facebook .Sometimes employes of company share news about work related issues and they get sacked from their job. Few of my friends from university days post the pictures of each night out and even what meal they had cooked. How many people on facebook control their privacy .
Credit cards scam in the past happened due to social networking . In those days people while socializing with strangers share too much info like date of birth , adress and other things and use that info to steal money from credit card . I think people are more exposed now and it looks like some one is keeping an eye on you.

Why some people are against the court decision. Protesting peacefully is accepted in the west as well. What the heck will we loose if we stay away from facebook and be united . West is testing us again and again and to their happiness Muslims are compromising . Infact these are the muslim rulers who can't take stand . Why for some people this is a non issue . The reason being they have sold their self esteem. They are the ultimate loosers. It's time to be united and tell the world we love Mohammed (P.B.U.H) more than anything and can not tolerate this .The west is no more a christian nation but turning into absolute aetheist . Here in uk people talk nasty about Jesus (A.S) as well then how can we expect from them to stay away from such henious crime . For Allah's sake how comes this is a non issue for some of us . Is facebook more important or the respect and love for Mohammed (P.B.U.H) ?