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Pakistan lifts Facebook ban
Pakistani judge says ban to be reimposed if "blasphemous" cartoons resurface on website.
Last Modified: 31 May 2010 07:51 GMT
Pakistan saw nearly daily protests against  Facebook [EPA]

A Pakistani court has ordered for the ban on the social-networking website Facebook to be lifted, nearly two weeks after it was blocked over "blasphemous" caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad.

Justice Ejaz Chahudhry of the Lahore High Court said on Monday that the country did not want to block access to information, but he warned that the ban would be reimposed if any blasphemous material reappeared on the website.

The court ordered a temporary block of Facebook on May 19 after some of the website's users organised an "Everyone Draw Mohammad Day" competition.

The organisers said the event was meant to promote freedom of expression, but Muslims across the world expressed anger over it.

Pakistan saw nearly daily protests against the Facebook competition with demonstrators chanting slogans like "Death to Facebook organisers" and "Death to America."

Bangladesh also blocked access to Facebook, officials said Saturday, after demonstrations against the cartoons.

Source:
Agencies
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