First official admission on disruption of X formerly Twitter finally came out on Monday as Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the platform was already banned prior to the current government taking office.
This acknowledgment comes amidst growing concerns over the lack of official notification regarding the clampdown on the platform.
Access to X has been disrupted across various regions of Pakistan since February 17, following allegations made by former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Chattha implicating the chief election commissioner and chief justice of Pakistan in electoral rigging during the February 8 general elections.
Despite previous claims by the information minister asserting the continued functioning of X, Tarar now concedes that the platform’s signal and frequency have been impacted, necessitating its use through virtual private networks.
In an interview with media platform World Echo News, Tarar proposed the establishment of a charter outlining the boundaries of acceptable online behavior, emphasizing the need for political parties to engage in discussions concerning issues such as misogynistic abuse, derogatory language, and disrespect towards national heroes.
Responding to inquiries regarding press freedom and the recent arrest of journalist Asad Ali Toor, Tarar expressed his commitment to upholding freedom of expression and journalism, highlighting his advocacy for dialogue between political factions on addressing the proliferation of fake news.
Meanwhile, amid calls for the restoration of X, Amnesty International and 28 civil society organizations issued a joint statement urging Pakistani authorities to prioritize the protection of freedom of expression and access to information. The statement condemned the arbitrary blocking of social media platforms, including the extended disruption of X since February 17, as a concerning trend of digital censorship.
