Unexplained Service Disruption: ‘X’ Remains Inaccessible in Pakistan for Two Days

The widely used microblogging site, ‘X,’ formerly known as Twitter, has been unavailable to the Pakistani population for the past two days, leading to widespread frustration and concern among users. Despite a brief restoration on Monday, the platform has primarily remained blocked since February 17, leaving individuals unable to access important information and communicate with others. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has not provided any official explanation for the suspension of ‘X’ in the country, despite its significant impact on the population.

The recent outage of ‘X’ has had a particularly detrimental effect on journalists and their ability to effectively report news and information. As the platform traditionally served as a primary source for both reporting and accessing news, its current unavailability has created significant obstacles for journalists and the public. This disruption has further exacerbated the challenges of reporting during times of social unrest and political turmoil, exemplified by the recent allegations of election fraud and the subsequent high-level resignation and admission of vote manipulation by Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha.

In response to the unexplained service disruption of ‘X’ in Pakistan, Netblocks, a global internet monitor, has criticized the authorities for their decision to block access to the platform. The organization attributed the outage to the “national-scale disruption… amid escalating unrest and protests over allegations of election fraud.” Furthermore, the admission of vote manipulation by a government official has intensified the controversy, inciting public outcry and raising concerns about the credibility of the election results.

This suspension of ‘X’ in Pakistan is not an isolated incident, as the country has encountered recurring outages of various social media sites during times of civil unrest and political instability. The inaccessibility of social media platforms during such crucial periods deprives the public of their fundamental right to access and share information, hindering the free flow of communication and the exchange of ideas.

In conclusion, the prolonged inaccessibility of ‘X’ in Pakistan has raised serious concerns regarding the freedom of expression and communication rights of the citizens. The absence of an official explanation from the PTA has further exacerbated the frustration and bewilderment of the affected individuals. As the situation continues to unfold, it is imperative for the authorities to transparently address the circumstances leading to the blockage of ‘X’ and uphold the principles of freedom of speech and information dissemination, as enshrined in democratic societies.