On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) served notices to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Ministry of Information regarding a petition against X’s (previously Twitter) suspension.
This action followed allegations by the former Rawalpindi commissioner, Liaquat Ali Chatha, accusing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of “rigging,” which both denied. X had experienced a prior suspension before the February 8 elections.
Ehtisham Abbasi filed the petition on Monday, targeting the Information Ministry and the PTA. During the hearing, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq questioned X’s current status in Pakistan. The petitioner confirmed its suspension on February 17, noting a related contempt hearing in the Sindh High Court (SHC).
The petition argued that the suspension breached Article 19 of the Constitution, seeking an immediate reversal of ban. The court postponed the hearing, notifying the concerned parties.
The SHC has also addressed this issue, with Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmad Abbasi directing the reinstatement of all social media applications, including X. The court demanded an explanation for the election day’s internet disruption, learning from the PTA lawyer that the interior ministry directed the suspensions.
