The Ministry of Interior’s letter to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on blocking X (ex-Twitter) has come to light and contradicts the telecom regulator’s stance on the matter so far.
Sources told ProPakistani that the contents of the letter, which directed PTA to shut down X, reveal a contradiction between PTA’s actions and its official statements.
Admitting to banning X, the interior ministry told the Sindh High Court on Wednesday that the social media network was suspended in February based on intelligence agency reports.
The Ministry of Interior on February 17, 2024, ordered PTA to suspend X until further notice. But in response to media queries regarding the closure, Chairman PTA has denied the existence of any such directive from the Ministry.
Discrepancies between PTA’s public statements and its adherence to government directives on the treatment of the mico-blogging site X have now become even bigger.
It bears mentioning that Chairman PTA (retired) Major General Hafiz Rahman recently said on a private television program that the regulator didn’t have anything in writing on the suspension of X.
He further said that on February 8, on election day, a meeting was held where all security agencies were present, and concerns were shared about what could happen. Chairman PTA said that at that time the regulator received orders to shut down the internet, so it had also tweeted about it officially.
Then he said the Ministry of Interior did not issue any directives on banning X, but someone should take responsibility for the matter.
Keep banning the X. Its time waste and fitna