NO doubt, it is an era of freedom of expression, and denying access to social networking websites sparks criticism by advocates of freedom of information and expression, as was the case with the blocking of Twitter by the ministry of information technology on legitimate concerns.

Pakistan has thoughtlessly been following western values and cultures and, therefore, some circles are always in the forefront of campaigning to malign the country and go for a free licence to injure the feelings of others.

Freedom of expression and information is OK, but how can this give one the authority to ridicule and attack the belief and feelings of others.

The West talks about liberty, and yet this liberty is confined to its own citizens while people living in other parts of the world or followers of other religions, especially Islam, are continuously targeted as part of the willful mischievous campaign to paint this great religion as black.

Every now and then websites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as newspapers and magazines in the West, are widely misused to injure the sensitivities of over 1.5 billion Muslims.

The West never gets tired of talking about harmony among different faiths but turns a blind eye to fundamental requirements for the purpose.

Apart from Muslim governments that should take up the issue at different regional and global forums, it is also the duty of Muslims to rebut and counter such campaigns through the latest means of communications and technology.

SAIRA MASOOD Karachi