KARACHI: A high court in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province observed on Tuesday that prima facie, social media was being “managed” in the South Asian country, amid a weeks-long disruption in service of X and complaints about slow Internet speed.
The remarks by the chief justice of the Sindh High Court (SHC) came during hearing of multiple petitions filed in the court with regard to the disruption of X and slow Internet in the country.
X first went down on Feb. 17 when a senior government official publicly confessed to manipulating results of Feb. 8 general election in a few constituencies. Since then, netizens have experienced sporadic disruptions in X service.
In its response to the petitions, a lawyer representing the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) said they did not have the equipment to slow down the Internet, while the interior and telecom ministries sought more time to submit their replies.
“Prima facie, social media is being managed, but who is doing it will also come out,” Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi said, in his remarks during the hearing.
“People listen to journalists who can’t say something on national TV (television) due to some reasons and express their opinions through social media, and this happens across the world.”
The court served notices to PTA chairman and other officials on lawyer Jibran Nasir’s petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against the PTA chief over his failure to improve X and Internet services.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till March 20.
Pakistan’s national election last month was marred by a mobile Internet shutdown on the election day and unusually delayed results, leading to widespread accusations that it was rigged.
Several political parties, including former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and candidates have since held protest demonstrations against the results. In recent weeks, the disruption in X service was observed on a number of occasions when protests were called by political parties against alleged vote manipulation.
The disruption has raised widespread concerns about the state of democratic freedoms in Pakistan, with the United States and several international organizations urging authorities to provide unhindered Internet access and leading digital rights activists calling the blockade a “blatant violation” of civil liberties.
Amid X disruption, court says prima facie social media being ‘managed’ in Pakistan
https://arab.news/85ggr
Amid X disruption, court says prima facie social media being ‘managed’ in Pakistan
- X first went down on Feb. 17 when an official confessed to manipulating Feb. 8 vote results
- Since then, netizens have experienced sporadic disruptions in X service amid political protests
On Qatar’s National Day, Pakistan hails Doha as global ‘emissary of peace’
- PM says Pakistan stood with Qatar after Israeli airstrike, notes Doha backed Islamabad during May conflict with India
- Doha has recently facilitated de-escalation talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan after border clashes this year
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday praised Qatar as one of the region’s most active diplomatic mediators, calling Doha an “emissary of peace” during an address at a ceremony to mark Qatar’s National Day in Islamabad.
Sharif’s remarks come after Qatar led negotiations aimed at easing the Gaza conflict, working with nations like the United States to reach a ceasefire and secure humanitarian pauses and prisoner exchanges. Doha also facilitated de-escalation talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan after border clashes earlier this year, underscoring its growing role as a crisis mediator across the region.
Pakistan has also aligned closely with Qatar in recent months. Sharif visited Doha in a show of solidarity after Israel’s airstrikes on the country in September, while Qatar publicly supported Pakistan during a brief military conflict with India in May, which Islamabad has highlighted as evidence of a deepening two-way partnership.
“Pakistan deeply appreciates Qatar’s distinguished and long-standing role as the emissary of peace, a nation that has repeatedly opened doors for dialogue, helped defuse tensions, and encouraged reconciliation with the noble aim of fostering peace and stability in the region and beyond,” Sharif said during his National Day address.
He described Qatar as a “brotherly country of Pakistan” with “very strong fraternal and friendly relations,” noting that bilateral engagement spans energy security, defense cooperation, trade and investment. More than 150,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, contributing to its economy and remitting income back home, while Qatari investments in Pakistan’s real estate, infrastructure and renewable energy sectors have expanded.
Sharif said he had traveled to Doha twice this year, first to convey Pakistan’s solidarity after the Israeli airstrike on Doha on September 9, 2025, and again for the Arab-Islamic Summit, and stressed that Islamabad stands “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Doha in pursuit of regional stability.
