Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is accessible again in Pakistan after facing a disruption on Saturday that led to speculation of another government-imposed block. However, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified that the issue was part of a global outage and not caused by any local restrictions.
Users across the country reported being unable to access X through its app and website. Many also noted that Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), often used to bypass government bans, were not working either.
Since X had been blocked in Pakistan for several months and was only recently accessible again during rising tensions with India, the disruption caused confusion and concern about whether access to the platform had been cut off again.
In a statement shared on its official Instagram account, the PTA clarified that “Social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) is currently experiencing a mass outage affecting several countries, including Pakistan. PTA’s investigation has confirmed that there are no technical issues at Pakistan’s internet gateways. All other internet services across the country remain fully functional.”
Global internet watchdog NetBlocks also confirmed the disruption was not limited to Pakistan and affected users in several countries. This marks the second global outage of X in a week. The platform also went down on 22 May, before normal service was restored.
X has had a difficult time in Pakistan. It was blocked in February 2024 because the government believed it was being used for propaganda and disinformation against state institutions. The platform was only restored on 7 May during renewed tensions with India.
