• February 22, 2024
• Social Media
• Web Desk

On Wednesday, the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued an order directing the federal government and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to reinstate the services of social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter), throughout Pakistan.

As per Pakistan Today, the SHC issued a directive on Feb 21, instructing the federal government and the PTA to reinstate services for social media platforms, including X, across Pakistan. The order, issued by an SHC bench led by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, came in response to a petition challenging recent “unconstitutional” internet shutdowns throughout the country. Furthermore, the court has requested a report from the PTA regarding the suspension of internet services on election day and has issued a notice to the federal government.

According to The Nation, this directive was issued by an SHC bench chaired by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi in response to a petition challenging recent nationwide internet shutdowns, which were deemed unconstitutional. The court also requested a report from the PTA regarding the suspension of internet services on election day and issued a notice to the federal government.

Despite reports from internet watchdog groups of outages starting on Feb 17, the social media platform X remains inaccessible to users in Pakistan. NetBlocks, an organization monitoring internet accessibility, confirmed on February 17th that Pakistan experienced a “national-scale disruption” affecting X following widespread protests in response to alleged vote rigging during general elections.

According to The News, this development transpired during a hearing led by SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, who entertained a plea filed by multiple petitioners, including Zarrar Khuhro, Amber Shamsi, Zebunnisa Burki, and others.

The petition highlighted intermittent disruptions faced by users in accessing the renowned social media platform, which witnessed various “unannounced” sporadic suspensions in recent weeks. During today’s proceedings, Chief Justice Abbasi inquired about the directives behind the suspension of the social media site. The petitioners’ lawyer informed the court that only the PTA holds the authority to suspend access to the social media platform. The petition, which names the state, Ministry of IT, and the PTA as parties, emphasized that the disruptions occurred without prior notice or indication from the PTA, which has the exclusive authority to implement such restrictions on access.

According to Express Tribune, the disruption of access was not limited to specific locations, as the regulatory body imposed a nationwide ban on X access, affecting users across major cities. The petition further underscored that the actions of the PTA violated provisions of the PTA Act, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA 2016), and the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules, 2021. Citing violations of constitutional rights under Articles 19, 19-A, and 18, the plea urged the court to direct the authorities to restore public access to X and any other platforms subjected to similar restrictions.

Furthermore, lawyer Moiz Jafferi highlighted a related petition concerning the suspension of the internet and other social media platforms during the recent polling day. He emphasized that the current plea specifically focuses on the blockage of X for over five days, affecting journalists and academics engaged in research and professional activities. Jafferi criticized the PTA for failing to acknowledge its actions and urged the court to recognize the illegality of blocking X access for Pakistani citizens, emphasizing the need for its immediate reactivation.