Pakistani artists say their country’s YouTube ban is about politics, not religion
Pakistani musicians and activists have joined forces to renew the push against a ban on YouTube in Pakistan in place since September 2012. Rapper Adil Omar, comedian Ali Gul Pir and music producer Talal Qureshi this week released an edgy new song and video calling on the Pakistani government to end online censorship.
And they posted it to YouTube.
The title of the song, “Kholo Ban Chor” means “Open the ban, thief” in Urdu, but also sounds very similar to a fairly offensive curse. The video shows a stereotypically sleazy politician signing off on what is presumably an order to ban YouTube, followed by scenes of policemen chasing down a man dressed in a box with the YouTube logo on it. YouTube has been banned in the country since September 2012, in reaction to violent protests against the anti-Islam video “Innocence of Muslims.”
Karachiites give YouTube a big hug
KARACHI: YouTube may be banned in Pakistan but that didn’t stop it from taking to the streets of Karachi. Or rather, a mascot sporting the video-sharing wesite’s logo made the rounds of the city, asking people to hug it if they want YouTube back.
Team members of ‘Pakistan For All,’ a citizens initiative, gave Karachiites an opportunity to hug YouTube as part of a cheekily named campaign against state censorship and content regulation. A video of the campaign was released online on Friday and was widely shared on Facebook and Twitter.
Human ‘shield’ in support of minorities
LAHORE: Scores of Muslim men, women and children formed a human shield around St Anthony’s Church here on Sunday to stand in defiance of those who seek to harm it.The participants of the shield which was a part of the National Day of Prayer and Resistance included members of the civil society, religious scholars and citizens.
The event was arranged by Pakistan for All that is a collective of concerned citizens outraged by the persecution of minorities in Pakistan. The participants raised slogans against those killing minorities and attacking their places of worships in the country without any reason. The message was that Islam is a religion of peace and it teaches kindness towards others.
Human chain formed to protect Christians during Lahore mass
LAHORE: The Muslim and Christian communities came together during Sunday mass in a show of solidarity in Lahore.
Hand in hand as many as 200-300 people formed a human chain outside the St Anthony’s Church adjacent to the District Police Lines at the Empress Road, in a show of solidarity with the victims of the Peshawar church attack two weeks back, which resulted in over a 100 deaths. The twin suicide attack on All Saints church occurred after Sunday mass ended and is believed to be the country’s deadliest attack on Christians.
Solidarity expressed over church bombings
Citizens and religious leaders gathered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday, September 29, 2013, to express their solidarity with the Christian community after the Peshawar church bombings.