Pakistan: Blogspot Blogs blocked in Pakistan
Over the last two days, blogspot blogs (running on Blogger) seem to be blocked in Pakistan. More bloggers are confirming this as it appears to have been blocked by all ISPs in Pakistan. Shirazi has some ways to bypass the ISPs banning access to Blogspot. Pakistani Abysmal Ramblings writes
It is a Sad day in Pakistan as our esteemed leaders have decided to further infringe on our rights to freedom. It has come to my attention that all ISPs in Pakistan are blocking all blogger blogsites. Previously some sites deemed inapropraite were blocked, but this is utter nonsense, why do a blanket blocking of blogger, are you so scared of people power that you feel a blogsite can be so harmful to you and your power.
KO is hosting a discussion on one of the forums. Metroblogging Lahore has links to some proxy sites that allow access and states that one of the ISPs still allows access to Blogspot. It is unclear why Blogspot Blogs have been singled out or blocked. A large number of Pakistani bloggers blog on Blogspot blogs. It's a possibility that the recent Danish cartoons controversy may have contributed to this decision by the Pakistan Government. However, the Pakistani Government doesn't seem to have made any official announcement on this issue as there is no Mainstream Media report on this.
Meanwhile some of the ways you can access blogspot blogs if you are in Pakistan are to go to this site which allows direct access to blogger even if your ISP blocks it, or use an open proxy like this. Access to Blogger even if your ISP blocks it through this link (http://www.blogger.com.nyud.net:8090) works because of the Coral Content Distribution Network.
30 comments
I wish you the best of luck getting the blogs to us in the outside world.
i just dont get what they want to achieve by blocking access to blogspot blogs??
and yes i have to admit i WAS surprised at GoP’s awareness of Blogger!
Blogspot users in Pakistan have 3 main nodes open/stable located close to them:
2 main nodes and 5 sub nodes based in India (ERNET & IIT Bangalore)
1 Main node and 3 sub nodes based in Lebanon (AUBNET – beruit)
You find the network status of these nodes over here:
http://mapcenter.in2p3.fr/planetlab/
[if anyone’s interested in donating a slice or signing up to offer nodes inside Pakistan please email Michael {mfreed at cs dot nyu dot edu}].
cheers!
Thats madness – stopping people from speaking whats right and wrong is like taking off their moral right n exercising your control on every aspect of theri life..
Who the hell makes such policies ..
I thought only China hated democracy..
The ban comes from a supreme court ruling that says no more viewing websites that have caricatures. the morons at PIE banned the whole of blogspot instead of weaving out these few websites. they didnt want to work you know as usual.