Senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has demanded the removal of the ban on X (formerly Twitter).

In a statement shared on social media, senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said it has been a year since the ban was imposed on X (Twitter), yet everyone gets access to the platform using VPNs .

Photo: @khsaad_rafique on x

He said that the ban on X (formerly Twitter) has proven to be ineffective in the past year and that it should now be lifted.

X (formerly Twitter) has been blocked in the country for a year. However, users still have access to the social media platform through VPNs.

According to a report, the number of X users in the country is approx. 4.5 million.

In February 2024, about ten days after the parliamentary elections were held on February 8, the Pakistani government introduced a ban on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). This action was taken during the caretaker government’s term of office.

Social media platform X was blocked in Pakistan because of national security concerns, not to limit freedom of expression, explained Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar later.

In March, the Ministry of the Interior Sindh High Court (SHC) informed that the platform had officially been blocked in February after intelligence reports. Access to X is limited in different regions of Pakistan since February 17.

Tarar clarified that the decision to ban X was made before the parliamentary elections on February 8 due to “observations.” He rejected proposals that the ban was unannounced.

Tarar also explained that separatists and terrorists, especially from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), used the platform to promote anti-state activities, including TV terrorist actions live. He emphasized that such actions could not be allowed.