Twitter Continues to Be Blocked for Fourth Consecutive Day

The social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, is currently blocked for many users in Pakistan, and the government has not provided any explanation for the sudden shutdown since Saturday. This move follows the admission of election result rigging by the Rawalpindi Commissioner, who was later arrested and taken to an undisclosed location.

Despite a significant number of internet users, internet censorship in Pakistan is worsening, with authorities having complete control over citizens’ online access, disregarding constitutional rights like freedom of expression.

Before the general elections on February 8, users faced difficulties accessing various social media sites, initially attributed to technical glitches. On election day, internet services were intentionally suspended to prevent potential terrorist activities, as per the caretaker government’s statement. After the elections, there have been ongoing disruptions in accessing platform X.

These internet shutdowns violate constitutionally guaranteed rights, including freedom of information, freedom of speech, and freedom of association. In a significant ruling in February 2018, the Islamabad High Court declared internet shutdowns a violation of fundamental rights and the constitution.

The authorities overseeing internet access show a disregard for the constitution by arbitrarily blocking internet and social media access. Notably, access to platform X (formerly Twitter) remains blocked, and internet services face widespread degradation across the country.

Additionally, attempts to bypass these restrictions using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have proven problematic, as many widely used VPNs stopped working on Saturday. The lack of transparency about the reason behind restricting platform X adds to the situation, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and relevant ministries seemingly unaware or choosing to ignore media inquiries.

Despite the disruption to access, no authority or ministry has taken responsibility for blocking platform X in Pakistan, raising legal concerns due to the potential violation of the country’s constitution.

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