The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding the suspension of the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) in the country. Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Aamer Farooq, presided over the hearing of the plea against the suspension of X.
Upon inquiry, the applicant’s lawyer informed the IHC CJ that X services have been suspended in Pakistan since February 17. The lawyer also mentioned that the Sindh High Court (SHC) is addressing a contempt case related to the matter today. Subsequently, the IHC adjourned the case’s hearing for a week after serving notices to the PTA and the information and broadcasting ministry.
It is noteworthy that the Sindh High Court (SHC) had previously instructed the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to restore X services across Pakistan. Despite this, the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, remains inaccessible to users in Pakistan. The disruption, confirmed by internet watchdog group NetBlocks on February 17, was described as a “national-scale disruption.” This incident occurred following widespread protests in the country, sparked by allegations of vote rigging in general elections.
