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Sindh government to ban Skype,
Viber, WhatsApp for 3 months
By Web Desk
Published: October 3, 2013
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Decision taken for security reasons
during meeting with Sindh CM.
PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh government has decided
to ban instant messaging and voice-
over-Internet Protocol (VoIP)
clients Skype, Viber and other
communication networks, possibly
including Tango and WhatsApp, for
three months in the province for
security reasons, Express News
reported on Thursday.
The decision was taken during a
meeting between Sindh Chief
Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other
officials including the additional IG
Karachi, DG Rangers and
representatives of intelligence
agencies.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel
Memon confirmed the decision in a
press briefing. He said that the
networks would be banned because
terrorists are using them, having
switched over from regular mobile
services. Memon said the Sindh
government has also requested the
federal government to contact these
companies and ask them for
access.
This is not the first time
communication services have been
blocked in the name of security. A
number of temporary cellular service
blocks were implemented in 2013 by
the government as an anti-terrorism
measure.
In 2011, the government ordered all
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to
discontinue all virtual private
network (VPN) services
in Pakistan to prevent extremists
from using the secure networks for
communication. It is unclear
whether this order was fully
implemented.
News of the upcoming blockage
comes the same day as Freedom
House, an independent watchdog
organisation, launched a report
ranking Pakistan among the bottom
10 countries on net freedom.
The report stated that various
political and social obstacles to net
freedom have been put in place by
successive governments in the name
of fighting terrorism.
In blocking these services, Pakistan
follows in the footsteps of Saudi
Arabia, where Viber is banned.
source tribune.com.pk
Viber, WhatsApp for 3 months
By Web Desk
Published: October 3, 2013
Share this article
Print this page
Decision taken for security reasons
during meeting with Sindh CM.
PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh government has decided
to ban instant messaging and voice-
over-Internet Protocol (VoIP)
clients Skype, Viber and other
communication networks, possibly
including Tango and WhatsApp, for
three months in the province for
security reasons, Express News
reported on Thursday.
The decision was taken during a
meeting between Sindh Chief
Minister Qaim Ali Shah and other
officials including the additional IG
Karachi, DG Rangers and
representatives of intelligence
agencies.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel
Memon confirmed the decision in a
press briefing. He said that the
networks would be banned because
terrorists are using them, having
switched over from regular mobile
services. Memon said the Sindh
government has also requested the
federal government to contact these
companies and ask them for
access.
This is not the first time
communication services have been
blocked in the name of security. A
number of temporary cellular service
blocks were implemented in 2013 by
the government as an anti-terrorism
measure.
In 2011, the government ordered all
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to
discontinue all virtual private
network (VPN) services
in Pakistan to prevent extremists
from using the secure networks for
communication. It is unclear
whether this order was fully
implemented.
News of the upcoming blockage
comes the same day as Freedom
House, an independent watchdog
organisation, launched a report
ranking Pakistan among the bottom
10 countries on net freedom.
The report stated that various
political and social obstacles to net
freedom have been put in place by
successive governments in the name
of fighting terrorism.
In blocking these services, Pakistan
follows in the footsteps of Saudi
Arabia, where Viber is banned.
source tribune.com.pk