[APCPress] BREAKING NEWS: Confidential Pakistani document reveals plans for stricter control of the internet

[Karen Higgs]

NO EMBARGO

Confidential Pakistani document reveals plans for stricter control of the
internet and freedom of expression

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Bytes For All for APC -- Since May 20, Pakistan has
experienced a wave of strict internet content control with thousands of web
pages blocked following a Facebook campaign inviting users to “Draw
Muhammad”.  The Facebook campaign pushed Pakistani authorities to actively
engage in blocking and filtering internet content, leaving Pakistani
citizens powerless against the online blanket ban. Further plans by the
government to continue to filter any content it considers “objectionable”
have been revealed in a confidential document obtained by APC member Bytes
for All.

“These new guidelines will give Pakistan's government the power to cripple
Pakistani citizens’ access to information and freedom of expression over the
internet,” say internet rights activists.

New policy guidelines give Pakistani authorities “carte blanche” over
internet content

The confidential document was submitted by the Pakistan Telecommunications
Authority (PTA) to the Lahore High Court on June 15 2010 at  the court's
recent hearing on the Facebook case.

It is a draft of policy guidelines on how internet content should be
monitored and controlled in Pakistan. The guidelines show how Pakistani
authorities are allowing general content filtering of the internet and a
number of limitations  are outlined in the documents that would normally be
deemed as unacceptable in Pakistan.

The document uses language that is vague and ambiguous, and open to wide
interpretation.  These guidelines pertain not only to religious material,
but also include political and other content.

The document also makes reference to an existing inter-ministerial committee
which is currently monitoring internet content. However, the terms of
reference and scope of work of this committee were never made public, and is
suspected to be operating covertly.

“If implemented, PTA’s proposed policy guidelines can give the authorities
the power to filter the internet freely and impede on people's freedom of
expression, access to information, and block online activism,” say
activists.

Internet rights activists in Pakistan are urging the government to play its
key role on provision of free and open internet for its citizens. “The PTA
should be directed to stop excessive monitoring, filtering and surveillance
of internet, which is causing slow browsing and inaccessibility of various
important websites and domains,” say activists. “The PTA and its allied
agencies should not infringe upon peoples’ right to information and free
expression on various socio-political issues in the country.”

Internet rights activists also fear that such dubious policy guidelines will
give the agencies a free hand to selectively curb people’s voices and bring
grave negative implications for the larger civil rights movement.

“After all, it is the Judiciary in the country, which has to safeguard
constitutional provisions of fundamental rights of people of Pakistan,” say
the activists.

More reading

Facebook ban is shocking, says Bytes for All, APCNews, 25 May 2010
http://www.apc.org/en/node/10440

Pakistani internet ban is excuse to “curb voices against corruption”,
APCNews, 8 June 2010
http://www.apc.org/en/news/pakistani-internet-ban-excuse-curb-voices-against-

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