ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Internet watchdog has blocked the country's first website aimed at gay people, saying it was “against Islam”.
The queerpk.com site, set up to help members of Pakistan's homosexual and transgender community socialise and share experiences, was shut down on Wednesday.
A spokesman for the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority said they had halted access to the site after complaints from Internet users.
“We blocked the website under the law because its content was against Islam and norms of Pakistani society,” said spokesman Kamran Ali.
However, if vistors now try to access the website they are redirected to another URL of the same thing.
Homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan.
Queerpk.com's moderator, who asked not to be named, said he would not challenge the ban in the courts for fear of a “negative reaction”.
“We wanted to provide a platform for people who are being abandoned by society because of their sexual likes,” he told AFP.
“I was not hopeful about the future of the website, I was convinced that sooner or later it would be banned.”
He said the site had a mix of members, with 44 per cent identifying themselves as female and 56 as males.
A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that Pakistan was among the least tolerant of homosexuality among 39 countries surveyed.
Comments (83) Closed
A correct decision. We as a Muslim country must not tolerate thing like this.
Good move as homosexuality is against norms of our society & religion
Dawn News, you present this news as if PTA has committed an unfogivenn sin by banning this , "Behuda" site... what are you trying to tell your readers.. i cant understand.. shame on you
Though there are such people in every society, In Islam and in Pakistan its illegal and PTA decision is according to Pakistani law! so other countries instead of meddling into Pakistan affairs should keep their culture for them and dont try to impose it on Pakistan in the name of human rights. Every culture, religion, country has different values. Try to accept it.
A country where sex with minors is a common practice cannot face reality of gays? Wow
@Muhammad Ashraf: You are right as a Muslim country we should only tolerate the likes of Taliban.
commendable act
Excellent decision, There has to be some morality otherwise we will be lost in social system. Human regardless of religion has some values and if human cross those values/systems of the life, social system will totally distrub.
@Muhammad Ashraf: The number of dislikes your comment recieved sadly proves we are a country who claim to be Islamic Republic but have people among us who dont understand the basics of our deen.
@Muhammad Ashraf:
I thought the whole point of Islam was tolerance.
@Muhammad Ashraf: And then you say Islam is tolerant. A good portrayal indeed. Its been scientifically proved that being gay is not a choice. I rest my case.
@Muhammad Ashraf: But we as human beings, must tolerate another fellow human beings right to live ones life the way one wants to.
Wrong decision; we Pakistan needs is Freedom, please do not see everything from 'your' own Islamic eye ..... and Pakistani norms of society are you talking about?? Wake up people; intolerance is leading you to distruction.
@Muhammad Ashraf: as a muslim country we must do many other things that are necessary.this wasnt
Well done...
Now that is extremism....Just of a different sort.
Absolutely correct decision!! See, that is how the queer world slowly and gradually asserts their agenda on us.
The queer world and the so-called tolerant world use such soft and heart-warming slogans to label the non-queer people as in-tolerant and hateful. The fact of the matter is that we are not hateful of the queers. It is just that like any harmful trend, the people engulfed in it should be weaned away from this deviant behaviour and the behaviour itself should be stopped, like any other disease (mental, social, or physical).
Who made the PTA the lawmaker and decider of what is right and wrong? Who gives them the right to decide who can and cannot voice their beliefs and opinions? This country is gradually becoming more and more of an ignorant, intolerant, hate driven cesspool every day. Any one with any sense would get out before its too late and we all become victims of Talibanization.
@Muhammad Ashraf: do u think gays are not human being?grow up brother,or start going school again so that you can learn basic thing about human being.
Why can't we just let people live the way they want to if they're not harming anyone else? Why must we force authority over things that don't affect us? Pakistanis must learn to live and let live, and be and let others be. Please.
@Muhammad Ashraf: Most of the gays are gays not out of choice but because that is how they are. That is how they were created. They were CREATED gay.
Ummm can we just block the male members and let everyone view the female members??
Good job done by the PTA and all such websites which are against the teachings of Islam or traditional values of the Pakistani society must be blocked so that Pakistanis are saved from the moral corruption.
Some people are gay ... get over it !
just cause you ban something does not supress what exists in the society, you have gays, lesbians, and transsexuals all the country, this is 2013, you need solutions, not oppression.
Homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan? yeah well someone tells that to the dead Molana who we used to teach us how to recite Quran. Yeah, 25-30% of clergy is homosexual, what you gonna about that? yeah you know who you are !!!
@M Ashraf. Ha ha ha, but you can tolerate killing of humans in the name of Islam..how hypocrite @mohmmad and you think you are not lost yet in social system? Grow up, open your eyes and look around
I hope that the Dawn is merely reporting this news and not advocating for queer.
I have no problem with gay people's life, their rights as long there activities are subject to public indecency.
It may be hard -- but my Muslim brethren should try to understand that attraction for the same sex in a small percentage of men and women is NOT an ACQUIRED abomination -- it is ingrained and inbuilt in that individual's brain -- when that brain is developing inside his or her mother's womb -- by their mother's own sex hormones -- not by friends or by "wrong company" in their later lives.
Simply stated the medical research shows that sexual preference is determined in the mother's womb in later part of the pregnancy -- it is controlled by the sex hormone testosterone of the MOTHER attaching to the sex receptors of certain areas of the visual cortex connected to the perception of gender specific -- CURVATURES -- of the human body.
Males and females have entirely different body curves that arouse sexual desire in the opposite sex -- like engrams with receptors -- these gender-specific curves are laid out in human brain of both sexes -- to interact with mother's sex hormone mainly the testosterone.
Majority of men get imprinted with the male hormone testosterone for the curvatures of female body in the male brain -- it is looking at the female curves imprinted in male brain that arouses the passions in the males for the females.
But due to miscuing during the gestation period a minority of the males get imprinted in the male curve areas -- instead of the female curve areas -- with the sex hormone testosterone -- for them the female curves do not arouse any sexual passions -- but the male curves do -- they are our gay friends.
Same goes for the females -- majority of females are imprinted normally with the male curves in their brains during their in-utero development -- but a minority gets imprinted with the female curves -- for these females the male body has no attraction -- they get aroused looking at the female bodies.
So once the research elucidated the biological reasons for the same sex attraction in the people -- the homophobia against the gays and the lesbians has receded rapidly in the West -- churches have started to accept gay priests -- parents are accepting their gay children -- discrimination and ridicule is on the decline -- marriages between the same sex couples with full legal, social rights are being permitted in countries after countries.
It is time that we Muslims also opened our minds towards homosexuality and understood its true nature.
@F: You can be what you want to be, as long as you're not propagating it through web sites and social media. If you don't like law of the land, then leave it......or keep raising your voice till you get a majority vote in your favor to change the law.
I don't know if the site should be allowed or not. That is a separate question but I object to PTA becoming the decider on morality. This should be referred to a parliamentary committee, whose decision will have more weight. Are we a democracy or a dictatorship? The govt should not abdicate its jurisdiction to beaurocrates.
well done! appreciate this initiative step against those websites that are demoralizing and destabalizing the pakistan and its community .Excellent job done .
@Muhammad Ashraf: The number of dislikes on your comment are a proof that we have a huge population which is gay/lesbian along with the "liberals" who support this type of stupidity.
Another example of Pakistan's continued descent into Stoneage abyss. Anything you disagree with or don't like - just kill it or close it down. PTA acting like God or Supreme Court and taking arbitrary decisions - shutting town evening chats, YouTube. It's such a shameful act.
@Farhan: Anything you don't like or disagree with - kill or or shut it down....a shameful act on the part of PTA.
@Muhammad Ashraf: yeah, a Muslim country which is going to hell real fast. Let's leave absolutely no room for diversity, self expression or people's freedom to choose and be who they are or want to be. I fear at this rate, shutting down the whole internet may not be too far away.
Many many thanks to Pakistan Telecommunications Authority for blocking such websites. i would request that please block the access of all such websites to save our generation.
@Anon: Dear bro/sis when a matter or an issue disturbs whole society then it's duty of government to take corrective actions and to save other from being the victim of that. Perhaps this measure ain't according to your needs and wants b/c of your liking or desire to be among queers but my bro /sis a day would come you people would repent that some one would have nip in the bud. the reason being such acts give temporary pleasure and have very bad end results. Hope you wont mind my guiding you. Please think twice before you encourage homo se.... May you realize the outcome of this!
@Anon: Dear bro/sis when a matter or an issue disturbs whole society then it's duty of government to take corrective actions and to save other from being the victim of that. Perhaps this measure ain't according to your needs and wants b/c of your liking or desire to be among queers but my bro /sis a day would come you people would repent that some one would have nip in the bud. the reason being such acts give temporary pleasure and have very bad end results. Hope you wont mind my guiding you. Please think twice before you encourage homo se.... May you realize the outcome of this!
Thank you PTA. Homos and lesbians, transgenders and gays make a society sick. Salams
@T: have you speak against any other sort of extremism such as drones? waiting for for 200+ dislikes :)
Very good decision...........These things should not be tolerated because these are against Islam. If we allow these kind of mischevious activities, then the society, which is already on verge of destruction, will collapse entirely. And also, I would like to appreciat the decision of NUST regarding ban on Tight Jeans etc. in their University. PTA should take clear cut steps to filter out and ban pornographic websites in Pakistan. This would be a service to nation. If China and countries like it can block and filter out porn, then why Pakistan can't. Peace.......
Dawn, please!....what are you even promoting over here!!..majority of the people did not even know that this "site" even existed..and by reading this kind of info, you are just promoting more ideas and awaring people of something wrong. which is totally not acceptable and tolerable in this society.
This is strictly against our religion, culture, norms, beliefs..... I respect this community, but they are misguided, their urge is towards the wrong...and we have to bring them back to the right path... respect to all and peace
@F: let live and let others live???? what are you even trying to say? living righteously is something we all need to do...and as an islamic republic state... we as Pakistanis can not tolerate this in our society...This is wrong!! unarguably wrong. We do not want this nation to suffer like the nation of 'Lut'..and 2005 earth quake did shake us up..due to this...think my friend... Allah show everyone the path of righteousness..ameen
Well done PTA :)
if it is against islam, then please ban all the pushto movies or whatever crap they show on "Stage shows". Because if that isnt un-islamic, then God knows what is.
I think pakistani authorities should leave those souls on their own... anyways, what right does anyone has or want to do with the way the other wants to lead his life... its personal choice, preferences... and who knows what people do in the dark corners of their home... there are many things islam forbids in the way married life is led between a man and women, but how many of the so called followers really abide by it.. hypocritical behavior at its best.
People who are condemning this act of PTA are either gay or Endians.
@Anon: we cannot go into the houses of people and stop them doing whatever they want. However, if some is offering services on public domain, which are considered extremely immoral by the Pakistan law and immense majority in Pakistan, they yes they should be stopped. and PTA has taken a very right step in this regards. It only removed their site from public domain but nobody went in their houses and asked them to change their lifestyle in their homes.
other magazines and news websites have helped this site by reporting this news each and every person who read this news tries to go on web and view it in return increasing their hits and audience, this includes dawn
other magazines and news websites have helped this site by reporting this news each and every person who read this news tries to go on web and view it in return increasing their hits and audience this includes you dawn
@Anon: Every sovereignty has its rule & culture , on these basis they either permit or prohibit some practices, this become very easy these days to name every restriction that this is Talibanization, most of USA states has ban first cousin marriage and even few consider it
Great Work PTA ... As a nation we are losing our values. Allah helps us. Ameen
this was last nail in coffin of deteriorating Pakistan on all fronts, be it social, moral, ethical or finance related... self destruction is our hall mark. sooner or later this was bound to happen in a country where you feed nation with new corridors of info and tech, without restrictions and penalties and above all without proper education. no wonder sooner it will be on talk shows.
at first what was PTA doing when this site was launched in Pak. why PTA blocked only upon complaints ? this is passive action and must be addressed in all departments of IT in Pak with dedication and severe punishments for the culprits including site hosting, ISPs, web designers and the one allowed all this.
A great act by blocking the site we as a muslim should not encourage homosexuality in our society .... humans were made to marry the opposite sex not the same one ...... and I guess if some muslims had forgot or haven't studied what happened with qoum-e-lot this should consider studying that.
@F: If someone wants to undress himself in his house in front of his parents and siblings, would he be allowed?....First ask your parents "Why can't they just let you live the way you want to if you are not harming anyone else? Why must they force authority over things that don't affect them". If your parents don't allow you in a small house then it is logical to have some limits in a society. Understand.
@Nauman Saeed Khan: You have a choice....DONT visit these websites oh pious one !!!!
It is wrong to ban a website relating to pride topics as the more one censors certain topics, the more that topic becomes public demand. The saudi government has given up on social media block. I am striving hard to make aware of the online dating situation in North America or rest of world for desi's or for Pakistani brothers & their Iisolation in integrated community or dating the opposite gender. The rate of failure of desi living abroad is astonishing & I will be updating a link when complete. Please look up Shazy Jeo in YouTube.
closing your eyes and ears doesn't make what you perceive to ba problem go away. Couple of weeks ago there was a an article on gay community of Pakistan on BBC website. Perhaps the nay sayers would like to inform themselves.
@Nauman Saeed Khan: Shame on you for being so narrow minded, and having the most one dimensional view on morality and ethics ever! Shame on you for being so ignorant...and taking great pride in your ignorance! Shame on you Sir!
We need to understand that a person is born "gay" or "not gay". No body has the power to turn them forcibly into being a gay or not gay after their birth. So If somebody is born gay and made just like that by "Allah" or "God" then what we could do other than accepting it in that way.
If you will try to make a gay person forcibly act like a not gay person like putting them into the intimate company of women he will go into extreme dippression or he could die. Same will happen if a not gay person has to intimate with a male. He will also go into dippression or die. This extreme dipression of a gay and not gay person is exactly same or inhuman in both the situations. If we could care about the pain of the not gay person and could call what happens to them as barberic or non human, then why the pain of a gay person is not justified. Did he asked god or Allah to be in this way? And why he should be ashamed or sad if he is made by the same Allah only like that. Why should he allow some, so called 'normal' person to decide what he should do or what he should not do. What he is just asking is to live the way he is born with the same type of people. Why anybody who is human could have any problem with that.. Is it just because we are in majority? We should be ashamed of ourselves if we think this way.. No wonder we are called the third world. :(
Also one funny question.. What this all have to do with religon? Some one below told that "We as a Muslim country must not tolerate thing like this.". Its really funny and sad. If it really has to do something with religeon then we should protect these guys to protect the humanity as these people are also the sons and daughter of the same god. It is the same almighty who make us all and we should never forget that.
Well a little research on the website's origin showed that they are hosted by anonymity providing ISP services in USA. similar websites with content criticizing religion and culture share the same domain! and sab se mazay ki baat k TTP's omer media website is also using the same ISP. what a strange coincidence!
I feel sorry for gay people. Life must feel like a curse. Unfortunately, we can't allow our children to follow your foot steps. History tells us that Allah destroyed Qaum-e-loot for this behavior. Obviously, it's not God creation that's why he punished them. If Sharia law was enforced, all you would be the target of stoning to death.
Do not let this plasphemy spread in a country whose creation is on pledge that islam will be the code of ethics and source of constitution of the country.It is a good step to stop this perversion which is being abhored even in the open society of the west.
@F: Amen!
If I am not wrong,reporting such news is actually providing them publicity.
@NASAH (USA): I so agree with you! the reality is gays, lesbians EXIST in Pakistan, so blocking websites is not going to change anything. Infact, the media has reports of Madrassa teachers abusing BOYS. Where does religion, what is right and wrong disappear when that is reported?
It is time for us to open our minds and stop judging others because of their preferences. They are also God's people as well! Compassion and acceptance should be the business of the day!
I would ask all big people, government officers, politicians, generals or brigadiers and all important people men and women to come forward and tell their sexual orientation, if they are gays. That would be a big support to this noble cause. I am a straight man, but i do support gay community because they are not gay, transsexual, or bisexual by choice. Nobody would ever be, or would like to be, if he or she wasn't born gay. To be gay is natural.
No dress can affect learning technology and sciences of any kind. Besides, we find gays even among animals and birds. No one is gay by choice.
Its totally wrong decision made by PTA the desire for homo sex is in their genes one cannot erase them. its only way they satisfy their selves. it shouldn't have been banned
Hey wake up guys, while you guys fuss over some pathetic issue the pmln lobby is embazzling the nation of all its resources. wake up brothers and sisters wake up.
We do not hate you, but what you do is wrong. Just because you do the other right things does not mean that your wrong attitude must also be accepted or condoned. It does not happen anywhere.
@NASAH (USA): There is no conclusive evidence of what you claim. I know you might start referring studies, but let me warn you that there are as many studies refuting those studies. Most of them base their conclusions on very limited database and on very controlled environment. Even if you were correct, there are conditions that are congenital and are declared and accepted as diseases and disorders that require treatment for correction. Same can be true in this case. I think I make fair point without prejudice.
@AHA: Ok, so let us treat them just like any other person who born with an illness.
@T: WOWWWWWWW!
@NASAH (USA): its the same research I think the gay sickers gave to support their agenda. and this research is fake totally. no excuse can change the nature. and no excuse can be enough for evil acts.
@AHA: don't give us that same justification European media always try to pour in sick minds. nobody is created such. because every body is created and can only be created in only non gay relation. I just wonder on such irrational justification of yours
@Ahsan Masood: so we live in the age where ignorant call others as ignorant. Ignorant are those who deserve the wrath of Allah swt. Ignorant are Qoum e Loot , who were killed by the wrath of Allah swt . Ignorant were those who are made as lessons of crime and evil for all the world i.e. Qoum e Loot. Ignorant were those who were cursed and punished. Ignorant are those who belong to Qoum e Loot .
@Sawera Ahmed : This is yellow journalism. Create a fuss of everything. Any step which is taken to save our national interest is negatively highlighted in our media. Today there's a website for Gays who knows if they are not stoped what they will do in the future to spoil the next generation.
@Ahsan Masood: Out lives should be spend according to the principles of islam. Don't you know about the story of the People of Lut. Even prophet Lut's wife, who supported the people for their acts of homosexuality, was punished along with the people who practiced it. Know your stuff before calling people narrow minded.
@Nauman Saeed Khan: Yes Mr. Nauman, this and the previous generation is coming out real well with people like you and your own twist on morality. as someone else referred to you in the comments "shame on you"
Lol......funny that religion n it's preachers feel threatened due to a "website"!