Pakistan’s Government has lied to people, before public representatives, and apparently before courts too, regarding X (formerly Twitter). After hearings on petitions about X being inaccessible started in some High Courts, the government admitted it has blocked X for a very long time. It was argued that this has been done “in the interest of upholding national security’’.
The petitions against the microblogging site X service disruptions are being heard at Sindh High Court and the Islamabad High Court. A Bench of the Islamabad High Court headed by its Chief Justice Aamer Farooq remarked that the Federal Interior Secretary should depose. “Let the Interior Secretary come, then we will see. If (nothing happens even then), then we will summon the PM,” he added. The court flexing its muscles to summon PM Shehbaz Sharif only goes to say how angry it was at the deposition by a junior official.
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In the run-up to the February 8 elections in Pakistan, there were repeated disruptions of X. An overwhelming majority of posts on X were about allegations of massive electoral rigging. To compound the miseries, in most of these posts, security forces and General Asim Munir were blamed for all wrongs.
Some officials had smugly suggested that people should use VPNs if they were facing X disruptions. In everyday life, the use of VPNs is a challenge for those who are less technologically savvy. Plus, its cost will work out to be higher than ordinary internet. Overall, the X blockade has been termed a “lose-lose situation’’ by Pakistani daily Dawn, a pun on the expression win-win.
As it is, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X serve as reliable communication channels worldwide. Blocking access to them erodes public as well as investor confidence at a time when Pakistan’s economy is doddering. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that it is in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and living on high doses of steroids administered by Dr IMF. The good doctor had given 23rd dose last year but the patient wants 24th intravenous dose immediately!
In fact, the Shehbaz Government, and General Munir are getting very jittery about former PM Imran Khan. The deft use of social media, particularly X by Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) gave a tough time to the establishment. The denial of its bat symbol to PTI candidates, the ban on advertisements in the media, and other steps failed miserably. Top PTI leaders being put behind bar, cases being filed against them and corruption charges being levelled against them were apparently all plans incubated at Pindi GHQ. Imran’s `timely’ convictions in three cases in the week before the polls were in keeping with this larger gameplan of the Miltablishment.
It is amusing to note that the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) blockade of X is based on a report signed by a section officer of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)! The one line instruction issued in late 2023 was to “block X immediately till further orders’’. The FIA letter placed in the court records does not mention any date. Neither is it clear when this recommendation was made to block X, nor does the letter say when it was blocked!
In most court cases, technicalities reign supreme, and the federal government has now argued that X was not cooperating. However, X has officially said that it was working with the government on its concerns. “We continue to work with the government,’’ its team has posted.
