It emerged on Monday that the Interior Ministry is defending its months-long ban on social media platform X on the grounds that it is a “threat to peace and national security” because it “spreads false information and incites violence”.
The ban was imposed on February 17 based on intelligence reports, Dawn reported.
In its reply filed before the Sindh High Court, the ministry said:[The] The hostile forces operating in X have malevolent intentions to create an environment of chaos and instability with the ultimate aim of destabilising the country and pushing it into some sort of anarchy.”
It added that some elements of society engaged in “smear campaigns against state institutions” were using Platform X to “spread disinformation and incite violence”, posing a “serious threat to national peace and security”.
In a statement before the SHC, the Home Ministry defended the ban on X, saying “hostile elements” were using the social media platform to “incite violence and create chaos”.
The ban on X is therefore a necessary measure to disrupt the activities of these elements and stop them from achieving their destructive objectives, the ministry said.
Citing Article 19 of the Constitution, the Home Office said the restrictions on X were not intended to restrict freedom of expression or limit access to information.
The ministry said the measure was aimed at ensuring responsible use of social media platforms in accordance with the country’s laws.
“Pakistanis are encouraged to express their views within the bounds of the law and respect societal norms without resorting to hate speech, incitement to violence or spreading false information,” the ministry said.
The committee noted that the platform has not complied with “lawful directives” and concerns raised by the federal government. The committee said Platform X is not registered in the country and has not signed any memorandum of understanding or agreement to comply with the country’s laws.
As a foreign company, the platform is subject to the country’s regulatory framework, which includes complying with directives issued by the government. However, the platform has not established a legal base or engaged in meaningful collaboration with authorities, the interior ministry added. “The Ministry of Interior reiterates its commitment to safeguarding the interests of the people of Pakistan and ensuring security and stability in the country. The ban on X is a necessary step in this direction and will be implemented with due regard for the rule of law and principles of democratic governance,” it said.
Regarding previous restrictions on TikTok, the Ministry of Interior said it had banned the app due to its “offensive content”. The ban was lifted after the platform signed a memorandum of understanding and agreed to abide by national laws.
In its submissions, the ministry also questioned the maintainability of the petition and argued that the petitioners have no standing to file the petition as no fundamental right has been violated.
The ministry further argued that the petitioners had not exhausted all available remedies before approaching the SHC. The ministry urged the court to dismiss the petition “in the interest of the state” and to avoid “irreparable loss to the interest of the state”.
