ISLAMABAD: Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, continues to be remain inaccessible for millions of users in Pakistan on Tuesday, marking eleven days since its services were first disrupted countrywide following protests against alleged election rigging.
X first went down on Feb. 17 when a government official admitted he had manipulated votes in Pakistan’s Feb. 8 polls. The admission came while former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other political parties in the country staged protests countrywide, blaming Pakistan’s election regulator of rigging the polls. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denies the allegations.
The social media platform’s disruption has raised widespread concerns about the state of democratic expression and media freedom in the country, with the United States and several international organizations urging Pakistan to provide unhindered Internet access to people. Pakistan’s leading digital rights activists last week said the move was a “blatant violation” of the masses civil liberties, as authorities remain tight-lipped about the ban.
The website remains inaccessible in Pakistan despite the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Feb. 21 order, in which it directed Pakistan’s telecommunications authority to restore social media platforms, including X, across Pakistan
Independent Internet watchdog Netblocks pointed out that on Monday, X’s disruption entered the 10th day. “The nation joins an exclusive set of countries that have imposed extended or permanent bans on international social media platforms,” Netblocks posted on X, without mentioning the specific countries it spoke of.
Pakistan’s indecisive Feb. 8 national elections were marred by a nationwide mobile service shutdown followed by delays in polls results, leading to accusations that the election was rigged and drawing concerns from rights groups and foreign governments. Authorities, meanwhile, said the suspension was due to security measures amid rising militant violence in the country.
In the past, Pakistani authorities have placed restrictions on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube during political protests and events, indicating a pre-emptive approach by authorities to curtail the mobilization and dissemination of dissenting views.
Lithuania-based Internet shutdown tracker, Surfshark, said last week that Pakistan has experienced five Internet service interruptions since the beginning of 2024, affecting its 128 million users.