Pakistan blocked social media platform X over national security concerns: Ministry

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's interior ministry said on Wednesday that it had directed temporary blockage of social media platform X in February due to national security concerns, verifying previously speculated concerns.
Sindh high court directed the government to restore access to X within one week, a lawyer said, after more than two months of disruption.
Users encountered difficulties accessing X, previously known as Twitter, in Pakistan from mid-February onwards, despite the absence of formal government declarations.
The interior ministry acknowledged the shutdown in a written court filing on Wednesday, saying, "It is very pertinent to mention here that the failure of Twitter/X to adhere to the lawful directives of the government of Pakistan and address concerns regarding the misuse of its platform necessitated the imposition of a ban,"
According to the Dawn, the report highlighted that X was not registered in Pakistan and had not entered into any agreements to comply with local laws. It emphasized that the platform's “failure to establish a legal presence or engage in meaningful cooperation with Pakistani authorities underscores the need for regulatory measures to ensure accountability and adherence to national laws”.
X has been rarely accessible since February 17, following a call for protests by the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party in response to a government official's acknowledgment of vote manipulation during the February election.
(With agency inputs)