Netblocks, the global internet monitor, reported a nationwide disruption to major social media platforms in Pakistan on Saturday.
The disruption coincided with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s second virtual gathering.
The party expressed disappointment over X foremerly Twitter, stating, “Shame on the caretakers that are causing damage to Pakistanis only.”
The outage, affecting platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, was confirmed by Netblocks at 7:12 pm.
Users in cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad reported difficulties accessing social media platforms around 8 pm, further exacerbating concerns over the regularity of such disruptions.
This marks the second occurrence in just over a month, following a similar incident on January 7 during a PTI virtual fundraising telethon.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), however, contested Netblocks’ findings, asserting that all social media networks were active, and the authority had not received any complaints.
The PTI responded by urging the Supreme Court to take notice of the internet suspension, alleging that 240 million people were deprived of basic rights during the outage, resulting in financial losses for the country.
Legal and rights activist Jibran Nasir decried the incident, labeling it the “third” nationwide internet disruption in just over a month.
Nasir criticized the establishment and the federal government, alleging a disregard for freedoms, the constitution, and the economy.
He argued that such disruptions violated constitutional articles 10, 18, 19, and 25.
