In the first since the services of X, formerly Twitter, were suspended in Pakistan, the social media site has released a statement on the matter, saying it is working with the relevant authorities regarding their concerns. is continuing.
X Collaborates with Pakistan
“We continue to work with the Government of Pakistan to understand their concerns,” read a statement posted by X’s Global Government Affairs team on its official handle.
The social media website, which was bought by American tech billionaire Elon Musk in April 2022, has been suspended in the country since February 17.
The suspension of the website comes a week after Pakistan’s February 8 general election, which has sparked debate over election transparency and fairness. Users reported problems accessing the site, but the government of Pakistan has not issued any official comment on the matter.
However, in a separate case related to the suspension, the interior minister said in his report submitted to the Islamabad High Court that he closed the website due to national security concerns, in the context of which the social media platform issued its statement. Is.
The ministry said in its report to the IHC that “content uploaded on the Internet” is a “threat” to the country’s national security.
The decision to ban Twitter/X in Pakistan was taken to maintain national security, maintain public order and protect the integrity of our nation.
The ministry said in the report, “It is pertinent to mention here that the ban on Twitter/X was necessitated by the Government of Pakistan’s failure to comply with legal directives and to address concerns regarding misuse of its platform.” “
It added that X is not registered in Pakistan and is not a party to the agreement to comply with Pakistani laws.
The Home Ministry said the non-cooperation of X officials justified regulatory measures against X, including temporary closure, as the government had no other option.
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The report said that the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) requested X to ban accounts propagating against the Chief Justice, but X officials ignored the request and did not even respond. gave
It added that social media platforms are blind to the spread of extremist views and misinformation.
The ministry said the ban on X is aimed at responsible use of social media platforms in accordance with the law.
He added that it is the protector of the citizens of Pakistan and responsible for national stability. Earlier, the social media platform Tik Tok was also banned by the government, but this ban was lifted after Tik Tok signed an agreement to abide by Pakistani law.
The report stated that social media platforms are banned by various countries of the world due to security reasons.
On February 17, 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued orders to close X on the request of intelligence agencies.
X’s plea against closure is contrary to law and facts, not acceptable, and should be dismissed, he said, referring to a plea challenging the suspension in court.
However, the Sindh High Court (SHC) had a day earlier directed the Home Ministry to withdraw its letter regarding the suspension of the social media platform within a week.