The social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, remains unreachable for numerous users in Pakistan, with the government not disclosing the cause of the service interruption that began last Saturday.
Despite Pakistan’s status as one of the largest internet user bases worldwide, it faces challenges in internet accessibility, ranking lower than many of its counterparts. Reports indicate that authorities sporadically restrict access to social media platforms.
In the lead-up to the general elections on February 8, access to various social media sites was blocked, attributed by officials to a technical glitch. Yet, on election day, the internet was deliberately shut down to prevent terrorism, as stated by the caretaker government. Post-election, users continued to experience difficulties accessing X.
These internet blackouts are in direct conflict with rights protected by the Constitution, such as the right to information (Article 19-A), freedom of speech (Article 19), and freedom of association (Article 17). A February 2018 verdict by the Islamabad High Court affirmed that internet shutdowns violate fundamental rights and the constitution.
When approached for comment, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi directed inquiries to the Minister of Information Technology and the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), from whom there was no response.
Such actions suggest negative intentions by the state and government, especially as the internet and X were disabled amid emerging allegations of “rigging and evidence of rigging” on Twitter and other social media platforms, according to Solangi.
