Pakistan reiterates X ban imposed due to national security reasons, not censorship

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar this week reiterated that authorities had banned social media platform X due to national security concerns, rejecting the impression that the government wanted to muzzle freedom of expression. 

Pakistani authorities banned X on Feb. 17 after protests swept the country over rigging allegations in the general election held earlier this year. The government has defended the ban in court, saying it was aimed at addressing Pakistan’s national security concerns.

Digital rights activists have criticized Pakistani authorities for suspending Internet and telecommunication services frequently in the past. Rights activists say the X ban was imposed to counter former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which has a massive presence on social media platforms, including X, and has frequently criticized the government and the armed forces there. 

“Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar Friday said that ban on X, formerly Twitter, was imposed due to national security issues, not to curb freedom of expression,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said on Friday. 

Speaking to Voice of America, the minister dispelled the impression that the ban was an “unannounced” one, saying that the caretaker government had banned the platform before the February election due to compliance issues.

He said “separatists and terrorists” were using the social media platform against Pakistan, saying that the government could not allow this. 

“Tarar said that the terrorists belonging to the so-called Balochistan Liberation Army were using the platform for promoting their anti-state activities,” APP reported.

“Even the terrorists showed their terrorist activities live on the X without any check,” he added. 

The minister said the issue relating to the X ban was sub judice and that the Ministry of Interior had already filed its reply in the court in that regard.

“There must be some system to regulate the social media,” he said, adding there was no harm in ensuring cyber and data security. 

Pakistani authorities have long struggled to regulate social media content through different legislations and tactics, prompting critics to accuse them of trying to quell dissent. In May, the government notified a National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to probe electronic crimes, making digital rights activists describe it as yet another official attempt to stifle criticism online. 

The government said the move was meant to protect the digital rights of millions of users, encourage responsible Internet use and prevent hate speech and disinformation.

In August, local media reports said the government was implementing an Internet firewall to monitor and regulate content and social media platforms. The government denied using of the firewall for censorship.