Court orders Pakistan to restore social media site X
ISLAMABAD: With people in Pakistan still facing difficulties in accessing social media plaform X, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Interior to revoke its leter regarding suspension of social media within one week.
Separately, the interior ministry told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the failure of X, formerly Twiter, to address concerns regarding its misuse necessitated a ban on the social media plaform. Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, on behalf of his ministry, submited a report on the IHC’S orders on journalist Ehtisham Abbasi’s petition challenging the ban.
“What are you [interior ministry] achieving via shuting down trivial things. The world must laugh at us,” SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi said while hearing multiple petitions filed by Zarrar Khuhro, Jibran Nasir and others.
The SHC chief justice’s remarks come as X has been suspended since February owing to the government’s decision to curb access to the social media plaform citing national security threats.
The SHC chief justice highlighted that the “law does not empower the interior ministry to act on reports forwarded by intelligence agencies”. Lamenting the suspension, the petitioner’s lawyer said using X and other social media plaforms does not lead to “blasts”.
“In hindsight it seems that no justification was given to suspend X,” the SHC chief justice said, adding that the court will issue its orders if the interior ministry does not withdraw the directives issued on February 17. The court then adjourned the hearing till May 9, directing the
Ministry of Interior to present its reasons behind the blocking of the social media plaform on the said date.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq presided over the hearing while Advocate Amna Ali appeared as the petitioner’s counsel. Additional Atorney General (AAG) Munawar Iqbal Duggal was present on the State’s behalf. The AAG informed the court that the interior ministry had filed a report on the mater.
Justice Farooq then stated that another petition had been filed on the disruption, on which he was issuing notices to the respondents and sought a reply on the new plea. Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned till May 2.
The report submited by the interior ministry said the “failure of Twiter/x to adhere to the lawful directives of the government of Pakistan and address concerns regarding the misuse of its plaform necessitated the imposition of a ban”.