KARACHI: In a recent hearing at the Sindh High Court, two lawyers representing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) presented conflicting statements regarding the status of the social media platform X, which has been banned since February.
During the proceedings, which involved Chief Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Omar Sial, Ahsan Imam Rizvi, one of the PTA’s lawyers, claimed that the notification imposing the ban on X had been “withdrawn.” However, Abdul Moiz Jaferii, representing the petitioners, argued that access to X remained unavailable.
When questioned by the bench, Saad Siddiqui, another PTA lawyer, admitted he was unaware of any notification withdrawal. The judges noted the inconsistency, with one lawyer being informed about the withdrawal while the other was not.
The court has given the PTA and other respondents two weeks to clarify their positions, with a written order expected to be issued soon. Jaferii informed reporters that X’s inaccessibility would be further examined at the next hearing.
The hearing is part of multiple petitions challenging the suspension of mobile and internet services and the ban on X. These petitions include those filed by journalists, academics, and lawyer Jibran Nasir, who also seeks the suspension of internet services on election day.
Additionally, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja confirmed to the Senate that X was blocked under the directives of the interior ministry using the PTA’s web management system, designed to block grey traffic and objectionable content. The government had previously justified the ban as necessary for national security and public order, citing the platform’s failure to comply with lawful directives.
