Experts Warn of Economic Impact as Pakistan Suffers Social Media Ban Amid Election Allegations
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 dollars in economic losses for the region. The ban was enforced after allegations by an elections officer in Rawalpindi, Liaqat Ali Chattha, claimed to have altered election results in his area, prompting swift action.
Despite denials of wrongdoing by the government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), services remain suspended, with no indication of restoration.
NetBlocks reported on February 26 that the social media platform remains restricted in Pakistan for the tenth consecutive day, placing the nation among countries that have imposed extended or permanent bans on international social media platforms.
“The disruption to X in Pakistan could have an economic impact in the region of $50m, based on our cost outage disruption impact estimator. This takes into account lost productivity and lost business and investment opportunities,” Toker said in a statement sent to Anadolu.
Express Tribune added that the suspension of internet and social media services has previously led to substantial economic losses, with last year witnessing four disruptions, including a significant loss to the IT sector following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in May, 2023.
This interruption in access to X, as highlighted by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), has raised alarms regarding the potential violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of speech and information, especially during pivotal political activities. Notably, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority has yet to provide a formal explanation for this incident, which significantly disrupts the essential dissemination of information, particularly crucial in the aftermath of elections amid political uncertainty.
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