Lahore:

The government has informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that it is not possible for it to provide a list that contains the names of the government officials who use X – former Twitter – even after imposing a temporary ban on the platform.

A bench with three members led by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on Tuesday resumed to hear a plea seeking instructions on the government to improve internet speed, restore X, and lift a ban on virtual private networks (VPNs) and some other social media platforms.

As the procedure began, the additional legal lawyer told the court that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had submitted a report in this case. He said LHC had sought a list of the government officials who use X “, but it is not possible to give such a list”.

In a speech to the occasion, the other lawyer’s lawyer, Azhar Siddique, said the federal government and PTA are not on the same page at X’s ban. Justice Neelum noted that there is no term “same page” in courts. “You and the court are not on the same page either,” she added.

Siddique repeated that some answer was presented in writing by the federal government, which emphasized the reason why X had been made dysfunctional. “The court sought a list of them in the government using X, but the list is not presented,” he added.

CJ Aalia Neelum noted that General Attorney for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan was to come prepared for the court on April 17 and shed light on all the legal aspects of X-ban.

In his plea filing through Siddique, the petitioner – journalist Hafiz Shakir Mahmood – contained that, according to World Population Review (WPR), Pakistan was ranked as 198th globally in internet speed. This placed Pakistan under countries such as Palestine, Bhutan, Ghana, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Libya.

The petitioner stated that this location is a significant indicator of the country’s digital infrastructure and its ability to support modern communication needs. The low location reflects the challenges facing Pakistani citizens with accessing reliable and fast Internet services that are important for various aspects of daily life, including education, business and social interactions.

He argued that the executive did not perform his duty under Article (s) 9, 29 and 38 of the Constitution. “In such an event, courts would rightly have referred to the well -informed opinion of the government, considering the constitutionally defined power separation between the state’s bodies.”

He said that people’s fundamental rights and also the state’s executive body under Article (s) 29 and 38 (a) in the Constitution have been broken and requested the court to order the relevant authorities to take immediate and effective measures to improve the Internet speed.

This, he said, includes upgrading the existing digital infrastructure, investing in new technologies such as 5G and fiber optic networks and ensuring that ISPs deliver speeds that meet global standards. “Improving Internet speed is important to support citizens’ fundamental rights, including access to information, education and financial opportunities.”

He also requested the court to adopt an order to lift a ban on VPNs in Pakistan. VPNs are crucial to securing online privacy and security, especially in a digital age where data violations and cyber threats are prevalent. The unlimited use of VPNs will allow citizens to protect their personal information and maintain their digital privacy.

He also requested the right to pass on direction for restoring access to X and other social media platforms that have been banned.

“Social media platforms are crucial to free expression, communication and dissemination of information. The prohibition on these platforms violates citizens’ right to freedom of expression and inhibit their ability to participate in public discourse,” he added.