Pakistan blocks social media platform X due to Imran Khan or national security concerns?
Total Views |
Islamabad, April 18: In a significant development, Pakistan's interior ministry said on Wednesday that it had directed temporary blockage of social media platform X in February due to national security concerns, verifying previously speculated concerns.
Sindh High Court directed the government to restore access to X within one week, a lawyer said, after more than two months of disruption. Users encountered difficulties accessing X, previously known as Twitter, in Pakistan from mid-February onwards, despite the absence of formal government declarations.
The interior ministry acknowledged the shutdown in a written court filing on Wednesday, saying, "It is very pertinent to mention here that 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 said in its court submission
"The decision to impose a ban on Twitter/X in Pakistan was made in the interest of upholding national security, maintaining public order, and preserving the integrity of our nation," the ministry report said.
It said X had been reluctant to resolve the issue. X said in a post that it continues to work with Pakistan's government to understand its concerns. X has been rarely accessible since February 17, following a call for protests by the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party in response to a government official's acknowledgment of vote manipulation during the February election.
🚨🇵🇰BREAKING: 𝕏 OFFICIALLY BLOCKED IN PAKISTAN
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 17, 2024
Pakistan's Interior Ministry has officially blocked access to 𝕏, citing "security issues."
"The failure of Twitter/X to adhere to the lawful directives of the government of Pakistan necessitated the imposition of a ban."
𝕏… pic.twitter.com/kPsFmvO1bE
Pakistan blocks X due to Imran Khan?
Among Pakistan's political parties, Khan's party is the most prolific user of social media platforms, particularly after the country's traditional media began censoring news about the ex-cricket star and his party ahead of the polls. Khan has over 20 million followers on X, making him the most followed Pakistani.
Khan says Pakistan's military was behind his ouster as prime minister in 2022 and that it helped his opponents form the current government, despite candidates backed by his party winning most seats in February's election. The military denies this charge.
He remains in jail on a number of convictions, most of which came days before the election.
Many government officials in Pakistan, notably Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, continue to use X - most likely through VPN software that bypasses the blocks.