PTA Faces Court Scrutiny over Mistaken Claim on X Ban Status
On September 17, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) that its previous claim regarding the lifting of the ban on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was made in error. This admission has led to warnings from the court that PTA’s chairman could face contempt proceedings due to the regulatory body’s inconsistent statements.
During a hearing on September 12, PTA lawyer Ahsan Imam Rizvi told the court that the ban on X had been withdrawn, which led the court to dispose of a petition seeking to restore the platform. However, another PTA lawyer, Saad Siddiqui, who was present for a related case, expressed unawareness of any such withdrawal. Following this confusion, PTA filed a new application stating that Rizvi had received incorrect instructions and that the ban, initiated on February 17, over national security concerns, was still in place.
The two-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Jawad Akbar Sarwana, expressed frustration with PTA’s shifting stance, reminding the authority that it had the opportunity to clarify its position earlier. PTA has requested the court modify or recall the previous order based on the incorrect statement.
This legal battle is part of several petitions, including one by lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir, who challenged the suspension of mobile and broadband services on Election Day. The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 24.
The PTA had imposed the ban on X in February, citing concerns over the spread of misinformation and challenges in regulating content. Despite the ban, many users continued to access the platform through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), with VPN usage surging by 131% shortly after the shutdown. VPN provider Surfshark reported a significant increase in new users from Pakistan. In contrast, PTA reported that X’s user base in the country decreased by 70%.
The PTA’s decision has drawn criticism from various quarters, including the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, which questioned the effectiveness of the ban in addressing national security concerns. On July 12, the Senate committee expressed its dissatisfaction with the ban and asked government officials to explain the rationale behind it.
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