The micro-blogging site X formerly Twitter is inaccessible to many in Pakistan for the last one week and there is no explanation from the authorities concerned so far.
The outage, which commenced last Saturday, has left thousands of Pakistanis without access to the Elon Musk-owned platform, raising concerns over the government’s lack of transparency regarding the disruption.
Authorities, including the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and government ministers, have remained silent on the prolonged outage, failing to provide any explanation for the suspension of Twitter services throughout the country.
Global internet monitor, NetBlocks, reported that not only are Twitter services affected, but virtual private network (VPN) services have also been restricted, exacerbating difficulties for users attempting to access the micro-blogging site.
The outage has not gone unnoticed, with thousands of Pakistanis relying on Twitter for swift information dissemination.
The platform serves as a vital space for citizens to exercise their freedom of speech and access to information, particularly during times of elections or conflict.
However, the ongoing disruption has left many grappling with the potential consumption of disinformation in the absence of a platform for open discourse.
According to a digital expert—Ayaz Ahemed, the disruption was a big blow to the country’s image that was already under scrutiny at international for so many reasons.
He said the disruption would also have impact on IT business and investment with many investors would be hesitant to enter such a territory which lacked certainty especially in digital space.
The interruption in Twitter services is not a novel occurrence in Pakistan, which has faced challenges in internet availability, ranking low compared to its global peers.
Authorities have intermittently disrupted access to social media platforms, with disruptions reported ahead of the February 8 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court had issued an order instructing the PTA to fully restore Twitter services across the country.
The court sought a detailed response from the authority and other parties in subsequent hearings. However, as of now, the PTA has not implemented the court’s order, leaving users in Pakistan grappling with the prolonged Twitter outage.
