Spread the Word!

So the ban story is clearing up a bit ... its turning out that George Bush had nothing to do with it, poor man, when all he was doing was playing cricket with a tennis ball ... and neither is it our government's cutting down our freedoms of speech or something of that sort. Its yet again a glaring example of the utter absurdity of actions our institutions love to engage in ... PTA was ordered by the Supreme Court to ban the sites publishing those famous cartoons but instead of blocking the individual sites they actually banned all blogspot blogs ... pretty intelligent in a way ... saves a lot of time ... Who needs to think and actually see? Just go away put your hand out blindly in the dark and pick up something, anything that is enough to show the upper echeleons of power that they have actually done something. And as for the public, they might go to hell for all they care!

Dr. Pak has started up a google group which in his own words is set up for :

"putting the word out to fellow Pakistani bloggers to join so we can organize ourselves to launch a disciplined, intelligent protest in the print media to have this ridiculous ban revoked. If they want to ban the cartoons, let them do the hard work needed to pin point the individual sites. Why not just shut down the whole damn internet for God’s sake! I for one am not going to rely on their good graces to thoughtfully revoke the ban all by themselves. I plan to make a lot of noise. Let’s see how they can shut us up!"

Also in his words:

"All blogspot.com bloggers who wish to organize themselves and protest in a single voice please come here. Any others who wish to join are also welcome. You don’t have to be a blogspot.com ban victim to be driven to action by the ban. Anyone who condemns this half-baked attempt at righting a wrong with another wrong is welcome to join. "

You should also include the 'DONT BLOCK THE BLOG' banner ( in my sidebar) in your blog, if you want to do something about this.

And please digg this , Blogspot-Censored-in-Pakistan, story.

I am writing this in a sort of a hurry 'coz I have to go and do a bit of studying ... so I'll come back later ...

Update: Write to Network Operations Centre on the ban ... how do you think it to be not right, how it is an infringement of our basic rights and how it is such a bloody (not of course not to use this sort of language) inconvenience to all the Bloggers around and a display of their utter disregard and negligence. Let your voice be heard. Email address: noc@pie.net.pk

Other contact information: Ather A. Baig Network Operations Center Pakistan Internet Exchange Voice : +92 21 2760066/2774258 ITI Division, 4th Floor Technical Block Gateway Exchange Building, Marston Road Karachi South, Pakistan

I know Pakistani officials seldom reply to their mails but you've got to try