Media will be hampered immensely due to not being able to access the global online network in order to tell the world what is occurring in Pakistan.

Blocking of URLS will hamper international business inside and out of Pakistan, as well as further damaging the cross border communications already in dire need of repair between people.īusiness owners may not be able to promote their services, as well as global access to each business. Universal access to the Internet is not only freedom of expression and opinion as a human right, it is part of the Constitution of Pakistan. In May of 2011, The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights General Assembly in Article A/HRC/17/27 focused on freedom to access online content, access to the physical and technical infrastructure online, the increase in censoring information online, namely through arbitrary blocking or filtering of content, and criminalization of legitimate expression as human rights abuses under the right to freedom of expression and opinion. All three explain and address how the government has invited proposals to private and semi-private companies to block 5 to 10 million URLS. On 24/7OnlineTV, broadcast journalist, Faisal Kapadia speaks with Sana Saleem, activist/journalist and Yusra Askari, correspondent with NDTV in Part One of ' Out of Bounds' on the Firewall Looming in Pakistan.

This is not the first time Pakistan has experienced online censorship in the current Federal Parliamentary System however, with help, it can very well be the last. THE RCT states the URL blocking will 'Transform Pakistan’s economy into a knowledge based economy by promoting efficient, sustainable and effective ICT initiatives through synergic development of industrial and academic resources.' The PTA is asking institutions to submit a proposal allowing the PTA to block URL's aligned with The National RCT & RD Fund. Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet. Online censorship or filtering can be seen as justifiable when it may involve harmful content to children in educational systems, however, to censor or filter Internet usage in any fashion to adults, is in direct violation of constitutions and amendments that exist, against 14 of 30 Universal Human Rights, and the Constitution of Pakistan, as seen in the preamble alone.Īmerica, with help from worldwide activists, citizens, businesses and Internet networks, fought back against two proposed bills SOPA and PIPA through petitions, calling state and government legislation, with businesses and online networks blacking out their websites in protest. By March of 2012, The Pakistani Telecommunication Authority (PTA), may have succeeded in deployment of an Internet URL Filtering and Blocking system unless we, global citizens, along with the people of Pakistan, help prevent this from occurring.Īs people become more aware and active globally, governments have begun to attempt to increase online censorship.

Gina panzarella