Authorities in Islamabad, Pakistan, told a high court on Monday that banning social media platform X is not against the country's laws.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) was hearing a case against the ban on social media platform X, which was blocked on February 17 following a rigging controversy during the February 8 elections.
The Ministry of the Interior, in its response submitted to the court, stated that the ban on X was not against Article 19 of the Constitution. "Before imposing the ban on X, all legal requirements were met. Article 19 allows freedom of expression, but also implies certain legal restrictions," the ministry said.
Article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan deals with freedom of speech, freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
It further stated that the platform has been used to upload hate speeches against national institutions, leading to concerns about national security and dignity, and reports from sensitive agencies.
The ministry argued in its statement that the “petition is not admissible” since it was the government's responsibility to protect the rights of citizens. He added that X repeatedly violated local laws.
"X has not signed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan to comply with local regulations," he stated, noting that similar bans have been imposed on other social media platforms such as TikTok, which were then allowed to operate after sign MoU and ensure compliance with Pakistani laws.
He further said that other countries also imposed occasional restrictions on social media for national interests and urged the court to reject the petition in the interest of national security and preservation of public order.
Although X was banned on February 17, it was not until a month later that the government officially recognized the ban. After its ban, a user required a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the popular platform.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials continue to use X to publish statements despite blocking access to it by the Pakistani government.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) was hearing a case against the ban on social media platform X, which was blocked on February 17 following a rigging controversy during the February 8 elections.
The Ministry of the Interior, in its response submitted to the court, stated that the ban on X was not against Article 19 of the Constitution. "Before imposing the ban on X, all legal requirements were met. Article 19 allows freedom of expression, but also implies certain legal restrictions," the ministry said.
Article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan deals with freedom of speech, freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
It further stated that the platform has been used to upload hate speeches against national institutions, leading to concerns about national security and dignity, and reports from sensitive agencies.
The ministry argued in its statement that the “petition is not admissible” since it was the government's responsibility to protect the rights of citizens. He added that X repeatedly violated local laws.
"X has not signed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan to comply with local regulations," he stated, noting that similar bans have been imposed on other social media platforms such as TikTok, which were then allowed to operate after sign MoU and ensure compliance with Pakistani laws.
He further said that other countries also imposed occasional restrictions on social media for national interests and urged the court to reject the petition in the interest of national security and preservation of public order.
Although X was banned on February 17, it was not until a month later that the government officially recognized the ban. After its ban, a user required a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the popular platform.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials continue to use X to publish statements despite blocking access to it by the Pakistani government.
