ISLAMABAD: Pakistan decided to contact the Facebook administration, on Thursday, to discuss the issue regarding censorship on posts highlighting the Indian forces’ brutality on the innocent Kashmiris.
In a press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria stated that Pakistan will present its reservations on the matter. Academics and activists have accused Facebook of censoring posts about Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) as a curfew in the region extended into its 21st day following the unrest that left more than 50 protesters dead.
According to Facebook, users posting about the violence in Kashmir, Britain, US, India and Pakistan, had their profiles permanently deleted by the Silicon Valley giant citing ‘violation of community standards’. Even, Pakistani actor Hamza Ali Abbasi’s personal account was suspended for three days over a post praising Burhan Wani.
According to Facebook, India ranks second to the US for the number of requests for user data and content restriction made every year to the company. Residents of IHK have regularly complained of Facebook removing their posts since 2010, when a large protest roiled the territory.
Wide-scale protests against the Indian rule have flared across the Muslim-majority territory since Burhan Wani was killed by the Indian forces in a firefight. Indian authorities have imposed a curfew, suspended mobile networks and internet in large parts of the territory and seized newspapers in a bid to quell protests.
Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria also expressed concern over the arrests of Hurriyet leaders and demanded their early release. The spokesman condemned the Indian atrocities on Kashmiris and urged New Delhi to hold impartial plebiscite in the held-Kashmir under UN’s supervision.
He said that Pakistan is raising the Kashmir issue at every international fora and that the Indian Home minister will visit Pakistan to participate in the SAARC Ministerial level conference.