The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has taken a significant step in response to the closure of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in Pakistan. The court issued notices to the Ministry of Information and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) concerning the shutdown of the said platform within the country.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq presided over the hearing of a petition challenging the closure of X, which has been mostly inaccessible in Pakistan since February 17, with users resorting to VPNs for access.
During the hearing on the plea today, the IHC CJ asked: “Is X closed?”
At this, the petitioner’s lawyer replied that X had been closed in Pakistan since February 17.
“This matter was also before the Sindh High Court (SHC), what happened to it?” asked Justice Farooq.
The lawyer disclosed that a similar matter is pending before SHC where a petition related to contempt of court is scheduled for a hearing today.
Following these discussions, Justice Farooq announced the issuance of notices for the next week, indicating a significant development in the legal pursuit to address the closure of X in Pakistan.
SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi issued orders on a plea filed by multiple petitioners including Zarrar Khuhro, Amber Shamsi, Zebunnisa Burki, and others against intermittent disruptions faced by users in accessing the renowned social media platform which has witnessed various “unannounced” sporadic suspensions in recent weeks.
The disruptions in accessing the platform have been a cause of distress for users, especially in the aftermath of the February 8 general elections, during which several social media sites were rendered inaccessible.
While authorities attributed these disruptions to technical errors and security concerns during the polling day, users continued to experience intermittent suspensions in accessing X post-election.
In a recent statement to a local media outlet, Information Minister Murtaza Solangi clarified that the caretaker government had no involvement in the shutdown of X in Pakistan.
Solangi emphasized that the caretaker cabinet had not deliberated or decided on the closure of the microblogging website. He suggested directing inquiries regarding the matter to the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
With the legal proceedings underway in both the Islamabad High Court and the Sindh High Court, the fate of X in Pakistan hangs in the balance, while users await a resolution to ensure uninterrupted access to the popular social media platform.
