Pakistan's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday (17) that it blocked access to X, formerly Twitter, around the time of the February elections for national security reasons, confirming long-standing suspicions about the matter.
Social network users in Pakistan have reported problems using X since mid-February, but the government has not made any official announcement on the matter until now.
The ministry mentioned the suspension in a written document to the Islamabad High Court this Wednesday. Another court told the government to reconsider the ban within a week, according to Abdul Moiz Jafri, petitioner and advocate.
“It is very pertinent to mention here that the failure of Twitter/X to adhere to the legal guidelines of the government of Pakistan and to respond to concerns regarding misuse of its platform has necessitated the imposition of a ban,” the ministry explained in its petition to the court , which was seen by Reuters.
He highlighted that X was reluctant to resolve the issue. The company did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters until this story was last updated, but said in a statement that it continues to work with the Pakistani government to understand “their concerns.”
“The decision to impose a ban on Twitter/X in Pakistan was taken in the interest of defending national security, maintaining public order and preserving the integrity of our nation,” the ministry document said.
Access to X has remained limited since national elections on February 8, which the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan says were rigged.
“Intentions to create chaos and instability”
Among Pakistan's political parties, Khan's is the most prolific user of social media platforms, especially after the country's traditional media began censoring news about the former cricket star and his party ahead of the elections.
Khan has over 20 million followers on X, making him the most followed Pakistani on the platform.
The former prime minister claims that Pakistan's military was behind his removal from office in 2022 and that it helped his opponents form the current government, despite candidates supported by his party winning the majority of seats in the elections in February. The military denies this accusation.
He remains in prison due to a series of convictions, most of which occurred days before the election.
Many government officials in Pakistan, notably Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, continue to use X, likely through VPN software, which bypasses the blocks.
The decision to temporarily block X was taken after considering confidential reports from Pakistan's intelligence and security agencies, according to the ministry text.
The document also highlighted that “hostile elements operating on Twitter/X have nefarious intentions of creating an environment of chaos and instability, with the ultimate goal of destabilizing the country and plunging it into some form of anarchy.”
Human rights groups and marketing advertisers have raised concerns about the case.
Digital rights activist Usama Khilji said the blocking of election.
Marketing consultant Saif Ali said, “It has become almost impossible to convince Pakistani advertisers to invest in Twitter for brand communications due to the platform being restricted by government authorities.”
Source: CNN Brasil

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