A senator has called for a permanent ban on all social media platforms in Pakistan as X (formerly Twitter) remains disrupted for almost two weeks across the country without any official statement from the telecom regulator.
Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, who became a contentious figure within his own party — the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — after backing a delay in the February 8 general elections, has proposed a resolution seeking a complete ban on social media platforms. The PPP had expelled Tangi following his silence over a resolution brought by independent Senator Dilawar Khan last month calling for the polls to be delayed.
The ban is being sought on leading social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (which is entering its third week of disruption). According to the resolution, the use of social media platforms is “against the interests of the country through negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces of Pakistan” and that online platforms are “adversely affecting the young generation in the country”.
The resolution is scheduled to be debated in the Senate for Monday, March 4, 2024. It reads that social media platforms in Pakistan are “being used for promotion of norms against our religion and culture, creating hatred among people on the grounds of language and religion”. The resolution further links digital platforms with misinformation and disinformation, stating they “create and promote fake leadership in the country to hoodwink the young generation”.
Nayyar Bukhari, general secretary of the PPP, has distanced the party from Tangi’s resolution, saying he is no longer a member of the PPP. It is important to note that Tangi is retiring from the Senate on March 11, 2024. Bukhari added that Tangi had been issued a show-case notice last month for violating the party policy, but he did not return it with a sound explanation.
The development comes as X is entering its third week of unexplained disruption in the country. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), which has issued statements over internet or social media outages in the past, remains silent over the ban this time. The telecom watchdog’s uncanny silence over X disruption has only obfuscated the events and cast a pall of uncertainty over when the platform will be restored, as users continue accessing it using virtual private networks (VPNs), which the authorities are reportedly considering blocking as well.
The resolution itself serves as a reminder of how the potential of digital media platforms is still disregarded by those in power, which leads to arbitrary bans and, by extension, massive setbacks to the economy of Pakistan. The disruption of X has already caused significant losses to freelancers and companies that provide social media management services abroad, according to reports and stories shared by freelance workers on other online platforms. Such bans and resolutions isolate Pakistan from the global digital community and scare away potential investors.
Digital rights advocates, regular social media users, and professionals have heavily rallied against both the resolution and continuing X disruption.
