The Senate resolution seeking a permanent ban on all social media platforms in Pakistan was withdrawn on Monday following strong disapproval.
The resolution, brought last week by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, called for leading social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Instagram, to be permanently banned in the country.
The resolution stated that social media platforms were “adversely affecting the young generation” and were against the interests of the state as they were used for “negative and malicious propaganda against the armed forces of Pakistan.”
However, according to a latest report by Dawn.com, the resolution was withdrawn by Tangi following strong opposition in the Senate. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Saifullah Abro called it an attack on young people and expressed surprise as to how such a resolution even made it to the the Senate agenda.
The resolution vilified social media platforms and stated they “create and promote fake leadership in the country to hoodwink the young generation”.
Tangi, who was expelled from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) last month for remaining silent over a resolution moved by independent senator Dilawar Khan seeking a delay in the February 8 general election, is set to retire on March 11, 2024. Although PPP’s General Secretary Nayyar Bukhari said Tangi was no longer a party member, the Senate Secretariat’s records still list him as PPP senator. Tangi’s tenure is ending on March 11, 2024.
The resolution surfaced at a time when the popular social networking app, X (formerly Twitter) was entering its third week of intermittent disruption in the country with no statement from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The platform still remains inaccessible, with users accessing it via virtual private networks (VPNs), which reportedly face the threat of being banned, too.
X started facing countrywide disruption on February 17, fuelling widespread allegations of poll rigging and lack of transparency and accountability in the elections. The unprecedented disruption of a major digital platform, where political and social discourse takes place, has caught widespread attention around the world, with the United States (US) expressing concerns over internet curbs in the country and calling on Pakistani authorities to restore access to X and other social media platforms.
“We are concerned by any report of restrictions on freedom of association and expression in Pakistan, including the partial or complete government-imposed shutdowns on social media platforms,” said US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller on February 22. “We continue to call on Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and to restore access to any that has been restricted, including Twitter.”
Besides restricting the flow of information, the continuing intermittent disruption of X has caused massive inconvenience to freelancers and firms providing social media media management services abroad. Moreover, such arbitrary and prolonged internet bans demonstrate an adverse impact on the economy by driving off potential investors.
