ISLAMABAD: The world reacted to sporadic Internet shutdowns and social media disruptions in Pakistan on Wednesday, with the US State Department confirming that Washington had officially urged the Pakistani administration to lift digital restrictions, while other international organizations raised concerns for democracy and media freedom.
Pakistani social media users have only managed to access platform X intermittently since Saturday when a senior government official made a public admission of vote manipulation in the February 8 general elections which triggered a politically charged debate in the country.
The electoral contest was marred by a nationwide outage of cellphone networks and delays in results by election officials, raising widespread speculation of rigging and leading to protests by several political parties in different parts of the country.
“We are concerned by any reports of restrictions on the exercise of the freedom of expression and association in Pakistan, including the partial or complete government-imposed Internet shutdowns, which includes, of course, on social media platforms,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told a media briefing.
He informed that Washington had asked Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and “restore access to any social media that has been restricted, including Twitter, I think now known as X.”
Asked if these concerned had been communicated through official channels, Miller responded in the affirmative.
Prior to that, Netblocks, a London-based Internet monitor, also took notice of the social media disruption and commented on its implications in a post.
“Metrics show that X/Twitter remains largely restricted in #Pakistan past the four-day mark; imposed on Saturday as disclosures relating to election fraud circulated on the platform, the measure significantly hinders the exercise of democracy and media freedom,” it said.
Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ), a press freedom organization, also reacted to the development, urging the Pakistan government to ensure “free flow of information to facilitate media reporting about post-election issues in Pakistan.”
The Sindh High Court also took up a case against the ongoing blockade of X on Wednesday, instructing the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority to restore the social media platform.
US and international organizations demand Pakistan lift social media restrictions amid democracy fears
https://arab.news/9t9zp
US and international organizations demand Pakistan lift social media restrictions amid democracy fears
- US says it communicated its concerns through official channels after platform X became inaccessible in Pakistan
- Global media and Internet watchdogs point out such developments hinder exercise of democracy, free expression
Pakistan’s president defends ongoing strikes in Afghanistan, urges Kabul to dismantle militants
- Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday
- Pakistan’s military says it is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s president on Monday defended his country’s ongoing military strikes in neighboring Afghanistan, saying Islamabad tried all forms of diplomacy before targeting militants operating from Afghan territory, and called on the Taliban government in Kabul to disarm groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan.
Pakistan earlier said it is in “open war” with Afghanistan, alarming the international community. The border area remains a stronghold for militant organizations including Al-Qaeda and the Daesh (Islamic State) group.
“(The Afghan Taliban) must choose to dismantle the terror groups that survive on conflict and its war economy,” Asif Ali Zardari said during a speech to lawmakers, adding that “no state accepts serial attacks on its soil.”
Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday. Since then, Pakistan has carried out operations along the border, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claiming the killing of 435 Afghan forces and the capture of 31 Afghan positions.
Kabul has denied such claims.
In Afghanistan, the deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Pakistan’s military fired mortar shells at a refugee camp in eastern Kunar province, killing three children and injuring three others.
Afghanistan’s defense ministry said Afghan forces carried out strikes targeting a Pakistani military facility near Paktia province, causing “substantial losses and heavy casualties.”
Pakistan’s military did not respond to questions. It has said Pakistan is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge of violence in recent months and blames it on the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. It operates both inside Pakistan and from Afghan territory.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing safe havens for the TTP, which Kabul denies.
The latest cross-border fighting ended a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkiye in October. The two sides failed to reach a permanent agreement during talks in Istanbul.
Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s call for talks, saying, “We have never walked away from dialogue.”
The Pakistani leader again accused Afghanistan of acting as a proxy for India by sheltering militant groups.
“Stop being used by another country as a battlefield for their ambitions,” he said.
Zardari cited a recent report from the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring team that described the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan as an extra-regional threat.
