The Pakistani government announced on Monday that it had imposed a “legitimate” ban on the social media platform X, citing national security concerns. This statement was part of the interior ministry’s written response to the Sindh High Court (SHC) regarding several petitions challenging the ban and intermittent suspension of Internet services.
Authorities have blocked X, formerly known as Twitter, since February 17 following widespread protests over allegations of vote rigging in the general election earlier that month. Digital rights activists and groups have condemned the shutdowns, both partial and full, as violations of civil liberties in the nation of over 241 million people.
However, the interior ministry defended the ban, stating that it did not violate Article 19 of the constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. “The decision to impose a ban on Twitter/X is a legitimate exercise of the Government’s authority to regulate the use of social media platforms,” the ministry said. “It is aimed at addressing genuine concerns related to national security and public safety, and it is undertaken with due consideration for the overarching goal of promoting responsible and lawful communication in our society.”
Pakistani authorities have long struggled to regulate social media content through various legislations, leading critics to accuse them of suppressing dissent. In May, the government established the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 to investigate electronic crimes. Digital rights activists have criticized this move as another attempt to stifle online criticism.
The NCCIA, approved by the caretaker government of Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar last year, took over cybercrime investigations from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). While the government claims the move aims to protect the digital rights of millions of users, encourage responsible Internet use, and prevent hate speech and disinformation, digital rights activists argue that successive governments have drafted new laws or amended old ones to curb online dissent and file criminal charges against journalists and activists to restrict freedom of speech and expression.
