• March 26, 2024
• Social Media

The Violent Extremism Prevention Unit of the Islamabad Police  blocked 462 social media accounts identified as promoting dangerous content. The targeted accounts fueled religious hatred, sectarian divides, linguistic hatred and anti-state propaganda. After a thorough investigation, the unit identified over 1,522 accounts across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook that were actively spreading negativity and […]

• March 26, 2024
• Social Media

During a Supreme Court hearing on March 25, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan assured that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would soon withdraw cases against journalists Syed Imran Shafqat and Amir Mir. Both journalists had previously been implicated in allegations related to cybercrimes. The assurance came during a session before a three-judge bench of the Supreme […]

• March 21, 2024
• Social Media

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on March 20 heard petitions challenging the recent disruption of access to social media platform X, formerly Twitter. During the proceedings, the interior ministry admitted to blocking X, citing reports from intelligence agencies. The ministry, in its comments, said the action falls under the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight […]

• March 19, 2024
• Social Media

Despite previous denials and the lack of an official notification, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has acknowledged that the microblogging site X, formerly known as Twitter, has been under an undisclosed ban since before the current government came to power.  During an interview with World Echo News on March 18, Tarar admitted, “Twitter was already banned when we came into government.” This admission […]

• March 19, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) welcomes journalist and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor’s release from jail after his bail was approved on March 16. We urge authorities to safeguard the rights of journalists protected under the law instead of harassing them through the issuance of notices, arrests, and investigations. Toor’s arrest on the grounds of an investigation […]

• March 18, 2024
• Social Media

On March 17, Information Minister Atta Ullah Tarar strongly denounced a social media campaign targeting soldiers who were martyred in a terrorist attack in North Waziristan on March 16. Calling the campaign “insulting,” Tarar vowed to bring those responsible to justice. During a press conference in Lahore, Tarar emphasized the immeasurable sacrifices made by the Pakistan Army, police, and civilians in […]

• March 15, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

Human rights activists and civil society organizations have demanded the immediate restoration of X, formerly known as Twitter, in a joint statement. They expressed grave concerns about the escalating occurrences of internet shutdowns and the blocking of social media platforms. The joint statement issued on March 13 highlights the urgent need for the restoration of access to X, emphasizing […]

• March 9, 2024
• Social Media

Since February 17th, an unannounced ban – either partial or full – on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has severely disrupted Pakistan’s digital landscape. Businesses are losing revenue, journalists face obstacles in their work, and internet users nationwide experience significantly slower speeds. The intermittent blocking of X began following allegations of electoral rigging during the February […]

• March 8, 2024
• advertising, Social Media

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has issued a warning to social media influencers, urging them to avoid deceptive marketing practices. The CCP issued a statement on March 6 , noting that it has observed an increase in deceptive marketing practices on social media platforms and that influencers are often involved in promoting products without disclosing […]

• March 5, 2024
• Social Media

On March 5, the Sindh High Court (SHC) called upon the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Ministry of Interior to submit their responses regarding the petitions filed against the suspension of internet and cellular phone services during the general elections on February 8, and the ongoing ban on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. […]

• March 5, 2024
• Social Media

A widespread technical issue disrupted the operations of Meta-owned social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp on March 4, causing frustration among users across Pakistan and potentially millions worldwide. According to Downdetector.pk, a real-time internet and social media outage monitoring service, both Facebook and Instagram experienced downtime starting at approximately 8:20 PM PST and gradually recovered […]

• March 4, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

On March 4, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi withdrew his controversial resolution calling for a sweeping ban on major social media platforms. The move followed widespread criticism from digital rights advocates, journalists, and opposition lawmakers who labeled it a severe attack on freedom of expression. Senator Tangi initially submitted the resolution to the Senate, on March 2, […]

• March 4, 2024
• Social Media

Access to X, formerly twitter, has remained intermittently blocked since February 17 in Pakistan, following allegations of electoral rigging during the February 8 general elections, leading to concerns among experts regarding economic consequences and the potential spread of disinformation. According to Express Tribune, UK-based Alp Toker, director of NetBlocks said that the disruption could result in millions of […]

• February 27, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

X, formerly known as Twitter, continues to be disrupted in Pakistan for the tenth consecutive day. The outage coincides with restrictions imposed on virtual private networks (VPNs), further limiting access to social media platforms in the country. The disruption has sparked concerns over freedom of expression and access to information, with users unable to utilize […]