Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is facing a two-month ban in Pakistan due to security concerns raised by the government. The ban was implemented on Feb. 17, following protests by the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan after allegations of vote manipulation in the February election.
X has stated that they are working with the Pakistani government to understand their concerns and address the situation. The Interior Ministry has cited security reasons for the ban, with the suggestion that intelligence agencies were behind the decision.
Despite the ban, the Sindh High Court has ordered the government to restore access to X within a week. The court has given the government a deadline to withdraw the ban, or face further legal action.
Digital rights activists have criticized the ban, stating that it is an attempt to suppress dissent following the controversial election. Access to X has been sporadic, with users resorting to virtual private networks to bypass the restrictions.
The election itself was marred by allegations of rigging, with mobile services being cut on election day and a delay in issuing voting results. Imran Khan’s opposition party faced censorship leading up to the election, being banned from television channels and rallies.
Despite winning the most seats in the election, Khan’s party was unable to come to power due to a coalition of rival parties supported by the military. The situation remains tense as the government and activists continue to clash over the ban on X.