Pakistan is blocking access to Facebook in response to an online group calling on people to draw the Prophet Mohammed, officials said Wednesday.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority issued the order a day before "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day," scheduled by a Facebook group with the same name, because of "the objectionable material" on the social networking site, said Khoram Ali Mehran of the telecommunication authority.
The organization has not received any complaints from internet users about the Facebook group so far, he said. Devout Muslims consider it offensive to depict Mohammed.
Mimi Sulpovar, who started the Facebook group, said she read about the idea on a blog after Comedy Central bleeped out part of an episode of "South Park" that mentioned the prophet.
"This is meant to be in protest," said Sulpovar, who is American. "This is something I have felt strongly about for a long time: Bullying by certain Muslim groups will not be tolerated in a free country."
Sulpovar said Pakistan's decision to block Facebook was ridiculous. Her group and a similar one had attracted about 7,000 fans between them Wednesday. Groups opposing the idea had about 68,000.
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