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Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has been facing nationwide restrictions in Pakistan since Saturday, February 17, 2024. The platform, which is popular among journalists, activists, and politicians, has been inaccessible to millions of users amid protests over alleged rigging in the recent national elections.
As reported by NetBlocks, an organization monitoring internet censorship, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has enforced a blockade on X for over 72 hours, marking the country’s lengthiest and most severe internet outage to date. While the PTA has not issued an official explanation for the restriction, some accounts suggest a connection to the admission of electoral misconduct by a senior official, allegedly favoring the ruling party.
The ban on X has sparked outrage among civil society groups, who have condemned it as a violation of fundamental rights and freedom of expression. They have also raised concerns about the impact of the blockade on the country’s economy, especially the IT sector, which relies heavily on the platform for communication and collaboration. According to some estimates, Pakistan loses about $53 million per day due to internet shutdowns.
X is not the sole social media platform subjected to censorship in Pakistan. Over the past months, authorities have intermittently blocked or disrupted access to various platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Google services, citing reasons such as national security, public order, and moral standards. Nonetheless, many critics argue that these measures are aimed at silencing dissenting voices and controlling the flow of information in the country.
