The Lahore High Court (LHC) has given the federal government the “last chance” to explain the suspension of social media platform X, which was blocked on February 17 last year in the country.
According to a report by Dawn.com, the ultimatum was issued by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum in a hearing on Thursday of a petition lodged against the suspension of X by journalist Shakir Mahmood and other complainants.
Justice Neelam remarked that the government was being given the “final chance” to explain the blockage of X, after which the court would summon the head of the cabinet. The court also chided the PTA chairman for the authority’s use of X despite banning it.
In the previous hearing, Justice Neelam had raised questions about government bodies that were using X amid the ban. “It should be revealed which government institutions are using X despite the ban,” she had remarked. “It should also be told whether the status of X is legal or illegal.”
X was blocked over a week after the general elections were held, following former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Chattha’s accusations of rigging against the chief election commissioner and a Supreme Court (SC) judge.
After months of silence, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) disclosed that the platform had been banned on the interior ministry’s orders, which cited unspecified threats to national security.
Many government officials and ministries, however, have been using X via virtual private networks (VPNs) despite deeming the platform detrimental to national security. The suspension of X has been roundly condemned by civil society, journalists, and regular users, who have repeatedly urged the government to restore the platform.
