The caretaker government of Pakistan has decided to defer the decision regarding the restoration of X (formerly Twitter) in the country to the incoming government, marking a significant development in the ongoing saga surrounding the social media platform’s accessibility.
Sources in the government told ProPakistani that the fate of X in Pakistan will now rest squarely on the shoulders of the upcoming administration.
According to the sources, the decision to block X in Pakistan stemmed from the platform’s alleged non-compliance with local regulations, particularly in addressing the presence of illegal content. Despite some efforts to address flagged material, only a fraction of such content has been effectively dealt with, prompting the government to take action.
The continued unavailability of X in Pakistan has now extended beyond eleven days, sparking concerns about the populace’s access to digital communication channels and their freedom of expression. Since its initial blockage on February 17th, users across the country have been unable to access the platform as of February 28th.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority redirected inquiries regarding the potential reinstatement of X to the Interior Ministry. However, as of now, there has been no official response from the ministry regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, amidst the ongoing disruption, many social media users in Pakistan have resorted to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as a means to bypass the restrictions and gain access to X. However, recent reports suggest that government efforts to block VPNs hinder users’ ability to circumvent the ban, further exacerbating frustrations within the online community.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan recently held general elections on February 8th, 2024, with preparations now underway for the inaugural session of the newly elected national assembly. The formation of the new government is anticipated to take place in the first week of March, adding another layer of complexity to the resolution of the X accessibility issue.