Pakistani Government
For the first time since the suspension of X, previously known as Twitter, in Pakistan, the platform has publicly addressed the issue. In a statement released by X’s Global Government Affairs team, the company confirmed its ongoing engagement with the Pakistani authorities.
“We continue to work with the Pakistani Government to understand their concerns,” the statement noted. This engagement comes amid the platform’s continued suspension in Pakistan since February 17.
The suspension was initiated shortly after the general elections held in Pakistan on February 8, which sparked widespread discussions about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process.
Users began reporting difficulties accessing the platform shortly after the election, though no official statement regarding the suspension was immediately released by the Pakistani government.
Details emerged later when the interior minister submitted a report to the Islamabad High Court in relation to a separate case about the suspension.
The report justified the government’s decision to block the site, citing national security threats attributed to content shared online. According to the ministry, the material posted posed a threat to the country’s national security and public order, necessitating the platform’s shutdown.
Further justification for the suspension was provided in the report, which criticized X for not complying with the lawful directives issued by the Pakistani government, particularly concerning the regulation of content deemed harmful or misleading.
“The failure of Twitter/X to adhere to the lawful directives of the government of Pakistan and address concerns regarding the misuse of its platform necessitated the imposition of a ban,” the ministry detailed in the report.
Moreover, the report highlighted that X is not registered in Pakistan, nor does it have a formal agreement to abide by Pakistani laws, which contributed to the government’s decision to temporarily close the platform.
The non-cooperation of X with regulatory measures and directives justified the government’s action, according to the Interior Ministry.
In addition, the report disclosed that the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing had previously requested X to ban accounts that were allegedly propagating against the chief justice, but the platform did not comply or respond to the requests.
The misuse of the platform for spreading extremist ideologies and misinformation prompted the government to prioritize the responsible use of social media according to legal standards.
This is not the first time a social media platform faced a ban in Pakistan. TikTok, another popular platform, was also temporarily banned but later had the ban lifted after agreeing to comply with Pakistani laws.
The report by the Interior Ministry also noted that various countries worldwide have imposed bans on social media platforms for security reasons.
On the legal front, the closure of X was challenged in court, but the Interior Ministry maintained that the application against the closure was against the law and facts, and thus not admissible.
However, the Sindh High Court recently directed the Ministry of Interior to revoke its suspension order of the social media platform within one week, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing issue.
