In a significant development, it has come to light that X (formerly Twitter) has been suspended in Pakistan due to its failure to comply with local regulations.
Government sources informed ProPakistani that X (formerly Twitter) did not adequately address the presence of illegal content, with only a fraction of flagged material being blocked.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) reportedly forwarded over 67,000 links to Twitter for blocking, but the platform acted upon only some of them. Additionally, Twitter’s response to content deemed blasphemous was considered insufficient by authorities.
Also Read: X Continues to Malfunction in Pakistan After 9 Days
This action follows repeated warnings to Twitter to adhere to Pakistani laws, with specific instructions to block content violating regulations.
PTA had previously submitted a report to the Ministry of Information Technology regarding Twitter’s non-compliance, recommending strict measures including platform suspension and substantial fines.
The prolonged disruption of social media platform X in Pakistan has exceeded the ten-day mark, raising significant questions about the country’s access to digital communication and freedom of expression. X, which was blocked on February 17th, remains inaccessible to users across Pakistan as of February 27th.
Amidst the disruption, social media users in Pakistan have resorted to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as a workaround to access X (Twitter). However, reports indicate that government measures to block VPNs are hindering users’ ability to bypass the restrictions, intensifying frustrations among the online community.
The initial block on Twitter in Pakistan stemmed from allegations of electoral irregularities made by the former chief commissioner of Rawalpindi, Liaquat Ali Chatta, following the general elections held on February 8th.
In an attempt to address the issue, the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued directives last Thursday, urging authorities to restore access to social media platform X and ensure uninterrupted service nationwide.
However, despite the court’s orders, implementation remains elusive, prolonging the period of restricted access for users and exacerbating concerns regarding digital rights.
