Sindh government to ban Skype,Viber,WhatsApp for 3 months

[onionkiller]

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

 

[pak-marine]

this is bull$hit

 

[Gautam]

No YouTube, no whatsapp, no skype, no viber, & no ****!!!
All the best!!

 

[Edevelop]

Due to on going operation and security reasons.... Good decision.

 

[wakapdf]

Very good decision!

 

[Ayush]

ab bacha hi kya?? any specific security threat? or the usual?

Very good decision!

hey long time no see.kya haal hai yaar??

 

[pak-marine]

Sindh govt should now BAN Living for the citizens of Sindh

 

[faisal6309]

Thank god I am not in Sindh.

 

[fawwaxs]

Bilawal GF has ditched him & left him middle of nowhere so he's taking revenge from citizens of Sindh

 

[SQ8]

Right, what about Tango, Imessage, life.. etc.
These are all minor measures due to failure in tackling the real problem.
If they want to do so, they should co-ordinate with Cellular operators and shut down towers in areas where operations are being conducted. Or even selectively allow only a few numbers to operate(which is all possible with ease).

 

[W.11]

this just shows last ditch effort, they miserably failed

now they will become pain the the back of karachiites

 

[EagleEyes]

There is no need to ban them in Karachi or other metropolitan areas.

Also what makes these guys think terrorist with so much support cant get their sponsors to build an app for them which will be more secure?

 

[Slav Defence]

This is an old news,Sindh government has denied this attempt of banning skype,whatsapp etc.

 

[SQ8]

This is an old news,Sindh government has denied this attempt of banning skype,whatsapp etc.

Apparently its not working currently in Karachi.

 

[Huda]

If terrorists use food item to frighten people then government would ban food items instead of taking any action against them.