Zardari Bans Jokes Ridiculing Him, Gets Ridiculed

Under Pakistan's new Cyber Crimes Act, anyone who sends an insult or joke "slander[s] the political leadership of the country" through text, email, blog or any other electronic transmission, now risks being sentenced to up to 14 years in prison, the Telegraph reports:

The step, which was described by human rights groups as "draconian and authoritarian", came after government was particularly riled by a barrage of caustic jokes being sent to the presidency's official email.

Critics have accused the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), a party that espouses a liberal agenda, of stooping as low as the former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, who took television broadcasters off air when he faced political opposition.

Given Zardari's history as a corrupt, incompetent philanderer, it is no surprise that he receives a fair amount of ridicule; nor is it surprising that he now wishes to clamp down on it. Prior to the threat of prison, according to the Telegraph, Zardari's government attempted to tax insulting messages, prompting an exchange of texts ridiculing him further.

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Comments

[Durango]

when are politicians ever going to learn.

That kind of action NEVER WORKS.

Peoples capacity for humor will always surpass stupid decrees. They just make the humor funnier.

[Ventoi]

I would prefer to be straight-laced, at all times, myself.
What if he is banning these messages and missing some people who do not KNOW how, anymore, to write to him using all P's and Q's...?
lost prophets...lost constituen­ts...peopl­e who have gotten lost in the 'language' of the day (in foreign countries, even) and are using what they can...to get him to notice them.

Maybe he could hire someone else to scan for him if he is not, himself, PERCEPTIVE and UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE GOOD AND IMPORTANT messages in ALL THINGS.

('written on the subway walls...and tenament halls." -Simon)

[gallimaufry03]

99% of americans would be in jail if this were to be law here; god bless america and our first amendment!

[lokipuck]

God bless 'murica! (waves flag)

[Telemachus]

So Zardari walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "Why the long face?" And Zardari says, "Cram it, I'm a friend of Dick Cheney."

[thenextquagmire]

Why are they so afraid of people having FUN!

[Bharatbhangi]

I have a plea to the Bhutto/Zardari clan, please don't rob Pakistanis of their sense of humor, you've taken pretty much everything else!

[blue planet blues]

Pakistanis are screwed my friend.Pleading is not going to help.Apparently the govt. can't even provide electricity to most of the country anymore.Its' just going to get worse from here on.