Pak students against ban on Facebook, YouTube in country

Islamabad, May 21 (ANI): Pakistani students are opposing the government's decision to ban the hugely popular social networking site-Facebook and video portal YouTube, saying the move would only encourage extremism in the country.

"Pakistani people have the right to know about the world. The extremists want to snatch this right from the people which will certainly help extremism," The Daily Times quoted student from Karachi, as saying.

"The competition hurt Muslims. But only that link should have been blocked. Facebook has nothing to do with it. It's just that one page," a Lahore based student said, while refusing to be named.

It may be noted that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has directed all internet service providers in the country to shut down YouTube, as protests against the sacrilegious depiction of Prophet Muhammad on both YouTube and Facebook intensified across the country.

A statement issued by the PTA said that it has blocked over 450 links containing offensive content.

In Peshawar, more than 500 people participated in a protest against Facebook for holding competitions of drawing caricatures of Prophet Muhammad. They chanted slogans against the government and demanded it to end all ties with countries where these 'blasphemous' caricatures are being published.(ANI)