KARACHI: The impact of the Internet in a local context
particularly in relation to the state ‘compulsion’ to regulate and
control the cyberspace was discussed on Friday at the launch of a
comprehensive report about Pakistan’s online future.
While the blocking and filtering of content on the Internet by the
state resulted in numerous violations of fundamental rights, especially
the right to access to information, people successfully circumvented
these blocks by using proxy servers and virtual private networks, said
Jahanzaib Haque, author of the 28-page report ‘Pakistan’s Internet
Landscape’.
Presenting report’s main findings and recommendations to the
gathering, Mr Haque said that although the blocking and filtering of
online content was becoming increasingly organised, it continued to be
inconsistent.
He added that the blocking and filtering was mostly directed at the
content that was deemed blasphemous or obscene, even though these terms
were not properly defined. He cited examples of some educational
websites that were incorrectly defined as ‘obscene’ and therefore banned
by the authorities. Some members of the audience added to the
discussion by relating anecdotes of students who had experienced
difficulties in learning, because the Youtube ban restricted them from
accessing useful lectures and other study materials on the website.
Talking about the problems of hate speech and extremism in his
presentation, Mr Haque, web editor at The Express Tribune, said there
had been very specific and targeted attacks on well-known personalities
in recent years. In this regard, he cited the hate campaigns that
started in the wake of the deadly attack on Malala Yousafzai in October
2012, and those hailing Mumtaz Qadri as a hero for killing former Punjab
governor Salman Taseer in January 2011.
The presentation was followed by a lively, rather informal panel
discussion on the report’s findings, and their impact on the freedom of
expression in the cyberspace and Internet rights in Pakistan. Panellists
included Wusatullah Khan (senior journalist), Sabeen Mahmud (founder of
PeaceNiche/T2F), and technologist Aleem Bawany, along with Shahzad
Ahmad, Country Director of Bytes for All, Pakistan, as well as the
author of the report.
The complete report — produced by Bytes for All Pakistan (B4A), a
human rights organisation focusing on the Information and Communication
Technologies — is available online for the public to read.
The research paper provides a detailed outline of the Internet
control mechanisms deployed by the government, and describes the
existing legislative measures and their applications to the Internet. It
also provides a historical view of Internet censorship in Pakistan, and
the state’s attempts to ‘criminalise legitimate expression’ in the
cyberspace. The report also explores the current situation of Internet
surveillance, its purpose, the method used, and the effects caused by
such monitoring.
The event was attended by media practitioners, journalists, human
rights activists, members of the civil society, politicians,
researchers, as well as major stakeholders in the cyberspace.
The event concluded with the screening of a light-hearted video
titled ‘Hugs to Youtube’, starring a person dressed as the Youtube logo,
and carrying a sign stating “Hug me if you want me back”. The video was
an initiative by the #KholoBC Pakistan for All campaign that opposes
all forms of state oppression and regulation of content on the Internet.
The viewing was followed by a note of thanks by the moderator.
