Information Minister Attaullah Tarar clarified on Friday that the social media platform X has been banned due to national security concerns, not to restrict freedom of expression.
In March, the Interior Ministry officially acknowledged to the Sindh High Court that X was blocked in February based on intelligence agency reports and would remain so until further notice. Since February 17, access to X has been sporadic across the country.
In July, Tarar informed a Senate panel that the caretaker government banned X over compliance issues. In August, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari suggested the government might lift the ban if social media guidelines were established.
Read: PTA Announces Withdrawal of Suspension Notification for Social Media Platform X to SHC
Read: Sindh High Court Calls Out PTA for Contradictory Stance on X Platform Ban
Earlier this month, during a court case, two lawyers representing the telecom regulator presented conflicting views on whether X had been reinstated.
Tarar emphasized that the ban, instituted before the general elections on February 8, was not unannounced but due to compliance concerns. He explained that separatists and terrorists had exploited X to undermine Pakistan’s security, with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army using it to promote anti-state activities.
Tarar mentioned that the ban’s legality was under judicial review, with the Interior Ministry having submitted its response to the court. He urged X’s management to take down anti-state content and highlighted the misuse of social platforms by terrorists as a serious issue.
In conclusion, Tarar, a political worker, expressed his view that the ban on X should be lifted if the platform effectively addresses compliance issues.
