Pakistan Blocks Access to Social Media Platform X Citing National Security Concerns
News Mania Desk / Agnibeena Ghosh/18th April 2024
Pakistan has implemented a blockade on the social media platform X during the period surrounding the February elections, the interior ministry revealed, citing apprehensions related to national security.
Users encountered difficulties accessing the platform, formerly known as Twitter, since mid-February, coinciding with protests called by the incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party against a government official’s admission of vote manipulation. Despite widespread reports of these disruptions, both the government and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) declined to comment on the outages at the time.
In a written submission to the court on Wednesday, the Ministry of Interior acknowledged the shutdown, attributing it to the failure of Twitter/X to comply with lawful directives and address concerns regarding the misuse of its platform. The ministry emphasized that the decision to impose the ban was motivated by the imperative of upholding national security, ensuring public order, and safeguarding the nation’s integrity.
Moreover, the ministry asserted that the platform exhibited reluctance in resolving the issue, prompting the authorities to take decisive action. Activists challenging the ban argued that it was a deliberate attempt to suppress dissent following the controversial February 8 general elections, marked by widespread allegations of vote rigging and subsequent protests.
On the day of the elections, mobile services were also suspended by the authorities, citing security reasons. NetBlocks, an internet monitoring organization, reported that access to X was restricted on February 10, coinciding with the announcement of election results.
According to the interior ministry’s report submitted to the Islamabad High Court, the decision to temporarily block X was made after careful consideration of confidential reports from Pakistan’s intelligence and security agencies.
