ISLAMABAD — A Facebook page that was considered offensive to Islam and led to a Pakistani ban on the entire social-networking site has been removed, possibly by its creator.
Facebook said Friday that it had not taken any action on the page, which had attracted more than 100,000 visitors and encouraged them to post drawings of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, purportedly in support of freedom of speech.
Most Muslims regard any depiction of the prophet, even favorable ones, as blasphemous.
Najibullah Malik, the secretary at Pakistan’s information technology ministry, said earlier Friday that the government had no option but to shut down Facebook on Wednesday.
“We know some people are suffering because of this blockade, but we have to obey the court order,” Malik said.
The Facebook page had declared Thursday as the day to sketch Muhammad, so it was possible the creator took the page down Friday because it had served its purpose.
There was no word on whether the Pakistan government was lifting its Facebook ban.
