New Delhi: Pakistan’s Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday the suspension of the Elon Musk-owned social media platform, X, citing national security concerns. The platform has been inaccessible since mid-February, coinciding with nationwide protests called by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan against alleged election rigging.
The ministry’s written court submission stated, “The failure of Twitter/X to adhere to the lawful directives of the government of Pakistan and address concerns regarding the misuse of its platform necessitated the imposition of a ban.” The report further added that the decision was made in the interest of “upholding national security, maintaining public order, and preserving the integrity of our nation.”
However, the Sindh High Court (SHC) criticized the decision to suspend X and ordered the government to restore the platform within one week. SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, during the hearing of multiple petitions on the suspension, remarked, “What are you (Interior Ministry) achieving via shutting down trivial things… The world must laugh at us.”
The suspension followed a public admission by a senior government official of vote manipulation in the February 8 polls, which sparked outrage and calls for protests from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Reports suggested widespread disruptions in accessing X in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. Mobile internet services were cut across the country on polling day for security reasons.
The US State Department expressed support for the right to internet access, with spokesperson Matthew Miller stating, “As a general matter, we want internet platforms to be available to people in Pakistan and around the world,” without commenting on whether Washington had raised the issue with Pakistan.
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