Islamabad, Mar 16: Pakistan is looking at having a website filtering system, a move that has come in for criticism from bloggers.
Information Communication Technology Research and Development Fund has called for proposals to install a national level website filtering system, reported Dawn.
An expert said the system will help the government block websites systematically, similar to the internet censoring methods adopted by the Chinese.
The authorities want the blocking system should be able to handle a block list of up to 50 million URLs (website addresses) with a processing delay of not more than one millisecond.
Wahajus Siraj, national convener for the Internet Service Providing Companies, said: "Blocking pornographic websites and blasphemous content is a good move and we appreciate it. Even the installation of a filtering system is fair but what guarantee do we have that this filter will not be used by the government to block websites of media houses, political parties and bloggers in the future?"
"This is an attempt by the government to pressure people's right to information. People know what is good and bad for them when using the internet and don't need regulation," Pervez Hoodbhoy, a professor, was quoted as saying.
He added: "This is against the freedom of expression."
Asfham Mushtaq, a political blogger, said: "After the installation of this national level filter, political blogging websites that are critical of the government or any critical international research think-tank that publishes reports against the government or its polices will be under threat of being blocked. This will affect our access to varieties of opinions and information." (IANS)
Information Communication Technology Research and Development Fund has called for proposals to install a national level website filtering system, reported Dawn.
An expert said the system will help the government block websites systematically, similar to the internet censoring methods adopted by the Chinese.
The authorities want the blocking system should be able to handle a block list of up to 50 million URLs (website addresses) with a processing delay of not more than one millisecond.
Wahajus Siraj, national convener for the Internet Service Providing Companies, said: "Blocking pornographic websites and blasphemous content is a good move and we appreciate it. Even the installation of a filtering system is fair but what guarantee do we have that this filter will not be used by the government to block websites of media houses, political parties and bloggers in the future?"
"This is an attempt by the government to pressure people's right to information. People know what is good and bad for them when using the internet and don't need regulation," Pervez Hoodbhoy, a professor, was quoted as saying.
He added: "This is against the freedom of expression."
Asfham Mushtaq, a political blogger, said: "After the installation of this national level filter, political blogging websites that are critical of the government or any critical international research think-tank that publishes reports against the government or its polices will be under threat of being blocked. This will affect our access to varieties of opinions and information." (IANS)
