Social media is shut down

The Pakistan government yesterday ordered an hours-long shut down of social media and instant messaging platforms, after days of violent anti-France protests.

In a notice to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the Interior Ministry requested a “complete blocking” of Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, YouTube and Telegram until last night (6pm Thai time).

It gave no reason for the ban but it comes a day after French nationals and companies in Pakistan were advised by their embassy to temporarily leave in the wake of the rallies led by an extremist party that paralysed large parts of the country and left two police officers dead.

Political parties frequently use social media platforms to rally supporters.

Thousands of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan supporters spilled on to the streets after their leader was detained on Tuesday following his calls for the expulsion of the French ambassador.

Anti-French sentiment has been festering for months since President Emmanuel Macron threw his support behind a satirical magazine’s right to republish cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed deemed blasphemous by many Muslims.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has struggled to bring Tehreek-eLabbaik Pakistan to heel over the years but this week announced an outright ban against the group, effectively labelling it a terrorist outfit.

Extra security personnel have been sent to the French embassy, inside a guarded diplomatic enclave.