Information Minister Admits Twitter Blocked Without Official Notice
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 contradicts his earlier statement on March 13 when a journalist questioned why X remained inaccessible in Pakistan. At that time, Tarar dismissed the question, claiming X was operational.
“Twitter is working,” the federal minister had claimed: “Tweets are being posted too. If there is a [official] notification calling for the closure of X then you can show it to me. We can discuss it.”
The prolonged intermittent restrictions on X began on February 17, amid accusations of electoral rigging during the recent general elections. Since then, millions of Pakistani users have been denied access to the platform. Rights activists and civil society groups have repeatedly condemned the ban.
Tarar expressed concern over issues such as misogynistic abuse, insults, and the trivialization of sacrifices made by martyrs. He suggested the need for a “charter” defining red lines on social media discourse and called for discussions among political parties on this matter.
When questioned about press freedom and the recent arrest of journalist Asad Ali Toor, Tarar affirmed his commitment to free expression. He also deflected questions about plans to enact laws against “fake news” by the Punjab government, saying political parties should resolve such issues among themselves rather than relying on state interventions.
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