The prolonged outage of social media platform X in Pakistan has surpassed nine days, sparking concerns about digital communication access and freedom of expression in the country. X, blocked since February 17th, remains inaccessible to Pakistani users as of February 26th.
When ProPakistani asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) about X’s status, they directed inquiries to the Ministry of Interior, adding complexity to the situation.
Similarly, attempts to get clarity from the Ministry of Interior yielded no response, leaving X’s accessibility uncertain. During the disruption, Pakistani social media users have resorted to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to access X (Twitter). However, reports suggest that government actions to block VPNs are hindering users, escalating frustrations.
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The initial Twitter block in Pakistan followed allegations of electoral irregularities by former Rawalpindi chief commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta after the February 8th general elections.
In response, the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued directives last Thursday, urging authorities to restore X’s access and ensure uninterrupted service nationwide. Despite the court’s orders, implementation remains elusive, prolonging access restrictions and raising digital rights concerns.
As the disruption continues, stakeholders are monitoring closely, calling for a resolution that respects open communication principles and democratic values. This ongoing situation highlights governance challenges in the digital age and emphasizes the importance of protecting fundamental rights online.