Epigraph:
These readers have written to me from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and Rabwah.
Dear Prime Minister, you would recall that you have in a recent speech condemned Ex President Musharaf for not honoring the constitution of Pakistan and acting against it. But, in your unilateral and unreasonable action against TMT, without due process, you yourself have violated the constitution of Pakistan, Aritcle 19 of which states:
Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, or incitement to an offence.
Dear Prime Minister, you or your law experts would also recall that Pakistan is a signatory of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 1 of the Declaration states:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
We humbly request our freedom and a brotherly treatment.
Dear Prime Minister, you or your more brainy friends will recall a quote from Evelyn Beatrice Hall a biographer of the famous French philosopher Voltaire, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” which is often quoted in support of freedom of speech.
You may also recall a quote of President Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the declaration of Independence of USA, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”
Dear Prime Minister, you or those who acted on your behalf to ban TMT, would recall that one of the guiding principles of TMT is that we want to establish universal brotherhood and sisterhood for the whole of humanity. You profess to believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace be on him, who was one of the staunchest believers in universal brotherhood. Can we assume that you did not ban us for our contributions in this sphere?
Dear Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, you will recall that one of the core values of TMT is Separation of Mosque-Church and State. You may refuse it in Pakistan under your governance. But, you could certainly not deny the sorry state of 160 million Muslims in India or 8 million Sunni Muslims in Iran, if this same value was denied in neighboring India or Iran?
Thomas Paine, one of the Founding Fathers of USA, once wrote about religious freedom:
As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of all government to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith.
The thousands of regular readers from all around the globe would recall that in the last three years of its publication, TMT has published more than 20,000 posts. We have aggregated materials for human rights, women rights, universal brotherhood, freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, Muslim heritage and beauties of the teachings of Islam and last but not the least Separation of Mosque-Church and State. Dear Prime Minister please tell us for which of these 20,000 contributions have we been knighted with the honor of ban in Pakistan?
Those readers, who have not been able to directly confirm the ban in Pakistan on TMT, can recall and at a glance confirm that the mentor of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, General Zia ul Haq had enacted draconian laws, in 1984, against the members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which are still part and parcel of Pakistan law under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. According to these laws any member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who poses to be a Muslim by word or action is to be imprisoned for three years. Almost all of the 60 members of Editorial team of TMT are guilty of living the life of a Muslim on a daily basis! Incidentally, I have had to remove the names of our Editorial team members in Pakistan, from the site, for their personal safety.
In closing, dear Prime Minister, we do not want to impose on your precious time, but, please be kind enough to make one of your private secretaries communicate to us that for what crime of ours, the Muslim Times has been banned in Pakistan?
Categories: Pakistan
Mohtaram Shah S. AOA
I am reader of TMT, not only one time a day, I read it three to four times a day and looking for the latest contents.
I do not have any problem as you have said in your letter to PM.
I am writing it just for your information. I live in Banigala quite near Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
M.Aslam
Nawaz Sharif better ask a lot of testimonies because writing from Islamabad my personal testimony says TMT is working fine.
Seems as if there are particular servers on which the ban is imposed while others that are still free.
Thank you for your testimonies. We should also realize that where ever the ban is effective, those people cannot comment here. Ten people cannot be simultaneously wrong and I have checked with some of them more than once.
Pakistan government using Canadian company’s technology to censor Internet: report
Source: Financial Post
The Pakistani government is relying on a Canadian-based tech firm to create a censorship firewall around all the Internet content in that country, despite initially backing down from the plan following pressure from human rights groups, says a new report from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab.
Read further
Blocking/ Banning informaton is harmful for the government too. It is for the Nawaz Sharif government to follow the law in the best way. Any law which was wrongfully passed in 1984 should be removed.
In old times, when a king died, his orders were washed away. Two clear examples of that are:
1. A man was killed by mistake by Musa a.s. He fled the country. Later he was informed that the king in whose time he was wanted had died. So Musa a.s. could return to the country (Egypt). He did and preached very well and succeeded.
2. Khusro Pervaiz, king of Iran had issued orders for the arrest of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s. Few officers went from Yemen to Madinah to arrest the Prophet s.a.w.s.
Allah informed the prophet s.a.w.s. that the king had been killed by his own son (Shairaviyyah). Since the king was dead, his order had no more value.
On hearing that, the officers returned to Yemen empty handed. After a few days the news of the kings death was confirmed in Yemen.
Nawaz Sharif and his companions should take stock of the bad laws that have been enacted in Pakistan. He should boldly remove the bad laws and fear Allah only. If he will not do that, he may suffer again as he did for many years in recent past. May Allah protect him and guide him to success.
It is essential to know that “There is no compulsion in religion.” verse 2:256/257.
The present draconian laws that are being practiced are anti-Islamic. Fobidding prayers and Azaan and Salaam is even worse than it was in the Sikh Raaj in Punjab. At that time, there was no ban on prayers. Only loud Azaan was forbidden.
Many governments have come and gone in recent times (Note Iran and Afghanistan and Egypt…Libya). Rulers should be kind and gentle and reasonable. Nawaz sahib should ask (question) those responsible for banning TheMuslimtimes (TMT).
if there is any threat to his government by TMT even then it should not be banned. But there is no threat. TMT is relaying some material which is already in the news media. Or there is some decent helpful matter of public interest.
This comment is only a peaceful request, word of advice, no threat at all. I love every one. There is no Hatred and no action against any government.
In Urdu this is called “bhains ke aage been bajana”
In Pashto “playing rabab to a donkey.
KOOLU KAULAN SADEEDA is the solution of all problems the world is facing today as a whole
Dear Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Would you please be so kind to reply and solve this International Media problem with God given wisdom. May Almighty Allah bless you power and wisdom to solve relegious as well as political problems in Pakistan. Islam do not want to practice injustice in the Global Village including Pakisatn.
Dear Zia Shah Sb,
I am very much obliged to you for writing this letter to Prime Misister of Pakistan for injustice act in Pakistan. It needs courage to inform and guide other for right things. It is the Task of The Messangers of God to repel Evil with best advices and messages. May Almighty Allah Bless you more knowledge and wisdom to guide mankind and all Global Village Governments employees as well as citizens. May Almighty Allah give them wisdom to follow your advices and messages. Amen