Pakistan government defends X ban in court, citing law enforcement

Pakistani authorities on Monday informed the High Court that the ban on social media platform X does not violate 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 allegations of vote rigging in the February 8 elections.

In its response to the court, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the ban on X did not violate Article 19 of the Constitution.

“All legal requirements had been met before imposing the ban on X. Article 19 recognises freedom of speech but also carries certain legal restrictions,” the ministry said.

Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan provides for freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

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It further said that the platform is being used to upload hate speech against state institutions, raising concerns about national security and dignity and triggering reports from sensitive agencies.

In a statement, the ministry said the “petition is inadmissible” because it is the government’s responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens. It added that Mr X has repeatedly flouted local laws.

“X has not signed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pakistan to comply with local regulations,” it said, pointing out that similar bans have been imposed on other social media platforms such as TikTok, which were later allowed to operate after signing MoUs and undertaking to abide by Pakistani laws.

It also said other countries may impose restrictions on social media in their national interest and urged the court to dismiss the petition in the interest of maintaining national security and public order.

X was banned on February 17, but the government only officially acknowledged the ban a month later. After the ban, users were required to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access the popular platform.

Interestingly, despite the Pakistani government blocking access, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials continue to use X to post statements.