https://arab.news/gp57m
- X, formerly Twitter, was suspended across Pakistan on Feb. 17 after a government official admitted to manipulating votes
- Joint interior secretary appears before Islamabad High Court, says X banned due to national security threats online
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned the interior secretary to appear before the court on April 17 and provide solid reasons behind placing a ban on social media platform X, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
The platform, formerly known as Twitter, was downed on Feb. 17 after jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party called for protests against a government official’s admission of vote manipulation in February’s election, which was itself marred by a nationwide mobile network shutdown and delays in release of constituency results.
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), which regulates the Internet, last month informed a high court in the Sindh province in writing that it had blocked X on the orders of the interior ministry.
“The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned secretary interior in a case against closure of services of social media application X in the country,” APP said.
The petition against X’s ban was filed by journalist Ehtisham Ali Abbasi in the high court. During teh hearing, the joint interior secretary submitted a report on X’s ban, saying that access to the platform was restricted following a report by security agencies.
“The chief justice expressed dissatisfaction over the report and said that it was only based on assumptions as no solid reasons has been mentioned regarding the threats to national security,” APP said.
Justice Farooq said Pakistan was being defamed worldwide over the ban on X, adding that the interior secretary should appear before the court to present his stance.
The chief justice asked the joint secretary to produce documents regarding the security threats posed by the platform, adding that “just verbal arguments” wouldn’t be accepted in court.
“The joint secretary said that there was a threat to national security due to the material on the Internet,” APP reported, adding that the judge hit back by saying that evidence to support the claims should also have been submitted.
The court summoned the interior secretary in person on April 17 and adjourned hearing of the case.