Millions are left in the dark as X, formerly Twitter, enters the fourth day of the blackout.
It has been reported that Pakistanis still cannot access social networking platform X, previously known as Twitter, as of late Tuesday night. The government has not provided any information on the disruption that began last Saturday.
Although the social media platform was accessible for a few hours earlier today, it was disrupted again without any official announcement.
Despite being among the top internet user populations globally, Pakistan has low internet availability compared to other countries. The authorities have also intermittently disrupted access to social media platforms.
Social media sites were blocked before the February 8 general elections, which the authorities blamed on an error. However, the internet was shut down on the polling day to avoid terrorism, according to the caretaker government. After the polls, there have been repeated disruptions in accessing X.
Internet shutdowns infringe on constitutionally guaranteed rights such as freedom of information, freedom of speech, and freedom of association. The Islamabad High Court declared internet shutdowns unconstitutional in February 2018.
Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi did not provide any information when a famous news channel reached out to him. Instead, he suggested contacting the Minister of Information Technology and Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). However, the news channel received no response from either of them.
Cyber rights activist and journalist Farieha Aziz said that X’s ban continues without any official acknowledgment by the PTA or the caretaker government. She also stated that the prime minister and the IT minister are using VPNs to post on X, and the blocking powers can only be exercised by the PTA.
Usama Khilji, director at Bolo Bhi, criticized the lack of transparency from the government and the uncertainty around when the block will be lifted, creating an environment of disinformation. He also added that the government has bad intentions, as they shut off the internet on election day and turned off X when allegations of rigging surfaced on social media platforms.
Digital rights activist Haroon Baloch explained that X is the most effective platform for free speech, peaceful assemblies, and online campaigning on various issues. He also stated that blocking X and VPNs for citizens is not helping Pakistan’s reputation.
Lahore-based researcher Mohammad Saad hopes this is not becoming a new normal in Pakistan, as people like him rely heavily on Twitter for news and staying connected with the world. Saad also added that it is not easy for everyone to have unlimited access to Twitter since most VPNs are paid.
