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Facebook Access Restored in Pakistan

   VOA News 31 May 2010

Photo: AP

   Angry  Pakistanis rally against Facebook page that encouraged users to
   post images of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, 21 May 2010

   A  Pakistani  court  has lifted a ban on the popular social networking
   site  Facebook,  two  weeks  after the site was blocked for soliciting
   images of the Prophet Muhammad.
   Most  Muslims consider any image of the Prophet to be blasphemous, and
   Facebook's  "Everybody  Draw  Muhammad  Day"  page  triggered protests
   throughout Pakistan.
   The  Lahore  High  Court  on  Monday ordered the government to restore
   access  to  Facebook,  but  said  "blasphemous"  content should remain
   blocked.  The court also called on the government to develop a system
   targeting offensive content online.
   Last  week,  Pakistan  lifted  a  similar  ban  on  the  video website
   YouTube.   Authorities  said  sacrilegious  or  profane material will
   remain restricted.
   On   Sunday,   authorities  in  Bangladesh  also  temporarily  blocked
   Facebook.
   Publications  of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in Danish newspapers
   a few years ago sparked violent protests in majority-Muslim countries.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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