Google, Yahoo, and other major sites to be monitored in Pakistan

"If any particular link with offensive content appears on these websites, the [link] shall be blocked immediately without disturbing the main website," said Pakistan Telecommunication Authority spokesman Khurram Mehran in a statement.

The most prominent sites that made it to the Pakistani government’s list are: search giant Google, Bing, YouTube, Yahoo, Hotmail, MSN, and Amazon.

The 17 other lesser known sites, such as Jehad.org and islamexposed.blogspot.com (known for posting headings like “Islam: The Ultimate Hypocrisy”) have been blocked outright.

Pakistan is on mission to control blasphemous content online since last May when authorities banned Facebook for two weeks because of an “Everybody Draw Mohammad” campaign started on the social networking site.

Reaction of companies whose sites have come under scanner
Search giant Google was the first one to react after hearing the news. Company’s spokesman Scott Rubin said that before taking any measures Google wants to observe how Pakistan’s new ruling will affect its services.

Pakistan is on mission to control blasphemous content online since last May when authorities banned Facebook for two weeks because of an “Everybody Draw Mohammad” campaign started on the social networking site.

Rubin also added, "Google and YouTube are platforms for free expression, and we try to allow as much content as possible on our services and still ensure that we enforce our policies."

Amazon stayed away from making any comments on the situation throughout the day.

However, Yahoo called the new development disappointing and a step back in time as people today depend on internet for information.

As per Yahoo spokeswoman Amber Allman, Yahoo is "founded on the principle that access to information can improve people's lives."

Microsoft’s too reacted to the news; its senior policy counsel Chuck Cosson said that the company is "committed to protecting fundamental rights to free expression while also offering services that delight the customer and are responsive to social policy concerns."

Not everyone agrees with government’s method of controlling internet
Radical Pakistani Muslims might have been happy with government’s decision to keep tabs on blasphemous content on the internet, however, not everyone is applauding Pakistani government’s latest move.

In a statement to The Gaurdian, journalist and filmmaker Hasan Zaidi said, "It's absurd. They haven't thought this through. The logical conclusion is that we should shut our eyes, stick our fingers in our ears and ban the entire internet, even email."

Even Nadeem Paracha, journalist with Pakistan’s Dawn news service, believes that government’s attempts to control internet content are absurd.

"By continuing to tolerate a psychotic faith-based fringe for so long, we have actually helped it metamorphose into an unrestrained monster that has zero tolerance for what we think or do."

He added that main problem is that “Anything to do with Allah, or the prophet, and everyone keeps quiet."