Islamabad: Amid the prolonged disruption of the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) spanning over two weeks, a member of the upper house of parliament has proposed a permanent ban on all social media channels.
Simultaneously, authorities are reportedly contemplating a comprehensive ban on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), raising concerns within the IT and services sector regarding potential adverse impacts on the country’s economy.
Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, recently ousted by the PPP following his attempt to postpone the Feb 8 polls, has put forth another resolution advocating for a complete prohibition of all social media platforms, citing their detrimental effects on the youth.
Scheduled for discussion during the Senate session on Monday (March 4), Tangi’s resolution asserts that social media platforms negatively influence the young populace, promote norms contrary to the nation’s religious and cultural values, and incite hatred based on language and religion.
Furthermore, the resolution expresses concerns over the exploitation of these platforms to propagate anti-national sentiments and malicious propaganda against Pakistan’s armed forces. It urges the government to impose bans on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube to shield the youth from their adverse effects.
READ ALSO — X Problem Continues for 9 Days in Pakistan
Since February 17, the X website has been primarily inaccessible, except for intermittent service restoration following statements made by former commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chatta alleging electoral misconduct.
Despite the outage, most users continue to access the platform via VPNs, with some even mocking authorities, including caretaker IT Minister Umar Saif, for resorting to VPNs, as evidenced by his recent tweets purportedly from Hong Kong.
However, no entity has claimed responsibility for restricting X’s services, raising concerns among activists regarding governmental overreach and accountability.
Nighat Dad, a digital rights activist and UN Secretary General’s advisory board member on AI, condemns such blanket bans as violations of fundamental rights and detrimental to Pakistan’s global reputation, particularly regarding foreign investments.
Rumors of an impending VPN ban have alarmed the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), which warns of dire consequences for the economy and the tech industry’s growth.
P@SHA emphasizes ensuring uninterrupted internet services while addressing regulatory concerns, suggesting collaboration between stakeholders and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Currently, commercial VPN users are required to register with the PTA, but there are no restrictions on individual usage for non-commercial purposes.
