X is not restoring soon, here is why?

KARACHI: The Ministry of Interior has submitted its reply in the Sindh High Court (SHC) regarding the suspension of social media platform X in Pakistan.

The ministry has argued that banning social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was necessary to protect national security and dignity, citing violations of Pakistani laws.

The ban has been in place since February 17, following allegations of election rigging and hate speech against national institutions.

In a response submitted to the court, the MoI asserted that the ban does not contravene Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. The ministry said that the platform has been used to upload hate speech and sensitive content, prompting concerns about national security and dignity.

It highlighted that X, a foreign company, has repeatedly flouted local laws and has not signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to adhere to Pakistani regulations.

Similar bans have been imposed on other social media platforms like TikTok, which were later allowed to operate after signing MoUs and ensuring compliance with Pakistani laws.

The ministry urged the court to reject the petition filed by a citizen against the ban, citing national security and public order concerns. The petitioner argued that the continuous suspension of X since February 17 violated Article 19 of the Constitution.

The ban has been in place since February 17, with users requiring a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the platform. The government officially acknowledged the ban in March, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) presenting a notification from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to block access to X.

Recently, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the government to restore access to X within a week, while the SHC is still hearing the case.