Pakistan Minister Threatens to Ban Social Media Platforms Including X Over Cooperation Concerns

Pakistan's Minister of State for Law and Justice has issued a stern warning to social media platforms that fail to cooperate with government authorities, threatening potential bans.

Barrister Aqeel Malik delivered these comments on Thursday during a Dawn News program, where he specifically criticized X (formerly Twitter) for its lack of cooperation compared to other social media networks.

X, which serves approximately 4.5 million users in Pakistan, has been blocked in the country since February 2024, shortly after the general elections took place.

When questioned about the possibility of banning incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's X account, Barrister Malik stated that "investigations are ongoing" and noted that the government has reached out to X but received minimal cooperation.

The minister accused X of employing double standards in its content moderation practices, stating, "Posts related to Palestine are removed, and accounts blocked, within 24 hours. Here, we are talking about a matter of terrorism."

Barrister Malik confirmed that the government has issued reminders to social media platforms, warning that those failing to cooperate could face bans similar to actions taken by Brazil. He referenced Brazil's recent experience where courts issued orders that were eventually accepted by X, resulting in a $5.2 million fine and removal of contentious content.

X had approximately 22 million Brazilian users before it was blocked on August 30 by Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes for failing to comply with court orders targeting disinformation.

The minister revealed that the Pakistani government issued another reminder, emphasizing that these platforms are being used to spread terrorism, misinformation, and disinformation. "We have asked them to open offices here in Pakistan, but there has been no response. Some social media platforms are cooperating well, but X is cooperating the least," he added.

On October 4, Barrister Malik had previously mentioned ongoing investigations regarding Imran Khan's X account, noting that any decisions about potentially blocking the account would be disclosed after further evidence emerges.

According to an October post on his official X account, Imran Khan was reportedly questioned in prison by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials regarding "anti-state" tweets, critical remarks on foreign policy, and other topics.

In September, a petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging alleged inflammatory posts from the official X account of the PTI founder during his imprisonment. The petitioner requested an investigation to determine who has been operating Khan's account while he remains incarcerated.

Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail for a £190 million corruption case. He also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023.