The Pakistani government blocked access to Twitter over potential "blasphemous" caricatures of the prophet Muhammad, according to several reports.
Twitter was asked by the government to stop a discussion about a contest over Muhammad caricatures, something it refused. As a result, access to the site has been blocked, according to the Express Tribune. The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority passed down the directive to the Internet service providers in the country, and said it couldn't say how long the site would be blocked.
CNET contacted Twitter for comment. We will update the story when we get a response.
The discussion was about a competition to post images on Facebook. Facebook has agreed to address the concerns about the competition, according to Pakistani blog Dawn.com.
Many Muslims consider any image of Muhammad, whether they are positive or negative, to be blasphemous.
Many governments are wary of Facebook and Twitter's ability to offer its citizens a way of communicating and rally for change online. The sites were critical in the topping of governments such as Egypt, and they remain blocked in countries such as China.
Facebook's site was banned for two weeks in Pakistan two years ago for running a similar contest. The ... [Read more]
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