The revelation of the Ministry of Interior’s letter to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding the blocking of X (formerly Twitter) has brought to light a contradiction between PTA’s actions and its official statements on the matter.
According to sources, the contents of the letter directed PTA to shut down X, indicating a discrepancy between PTA’s public stance and its adherence to government directives.
Despite PTA’s denial of any directive from the Ministry regarding the suspension of X, the Ministry of Interior confirmed to the Sindh High Court that the social media network was indeed suspended in February based on intelligence agency reports.
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The contradiction raises questions about the transparency and consistency of PTA’s communications regarding the treatment of X. Chairman PTA, Major General Hafiz Rahman, recently stated that the regulator did not have any written orders regarding the suspension of X. He explained that the decision to shut down the internet on February 8, during the election day, was made based on security concerns shared by all security agencies present at a meeting.
Chairman PTA emphasized that while the Ministry of Interior did not issue any directives specifically regarding the banning of X, someone should take responsibility for the decision.
These discrepancies highlight the need for clarity and accountability in the handling of such matters, particularly regarding the suspension of social media platforms and internet services.
