Users continued to be unable to access the platform, but government officials have not approved any restrictions to date.
The Ministry of Interior announced that Pakistan blocked access to social media platform X before and after the February elections, citing national security concerns.
Users had reported problems using the platform, formerly known as Twitter, since mid-February, when jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party called for protests against perceived vote rigging by government officials.
At the time, both the government and the state regulator Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) declined to comment on the outage, which was widely reported by internet watchdog groups.
On Wednesday, the Home Office mentioned the closure in a written submission to the court.
“It is very pertinent to mention here that the ban became necessary due to Twitter/X's failure to comply with the legal directives of the Government of Pakistan and to address concerns regarding misuse of its platform,” the report said. The book says: Reuters confirmed the closure, which had been suspected for years.
“The decision to impose a ban on Twitter/X in Pakistan was taken with the objective of maintaining national security, maintaining public order and preserving national integrity,” the ministry said in a report filed in the Islamabad High Court. ” he said. Trying to shut down.
Additionally, he said the platform was reluctant to resolve the issue.
Activists challenging the ban say it is aimed at quelling opposition after the Feb. 8 general election, marred by widespread opposition claims of voting fraud and protests. Stated.
Authorities had suspended mobile services on election day, citing security concerns. Internet monitoring company His NetBlocks also reported that users could no longer access His X on February 10, while the country awaited the results.
The decision to temporarily block X was taken after considering confidential reports from Pakistan's intelligence and security agencies, the report said.
“Hostile elements active on Twitter/X have sinister intentions to create an environment of chaos and instability, with the ultimate goal of destabilizing the country and plunging it into some form of anarchy,” the group said. “There is,” he claimed.
The Sindh High Court on Wednesday ordered the government to restore the platform within a week, AFP news agency reported, citing a lawyer. Moiz Jaaferi has launched a separate challenge to the ban.
NetBlocks' Alp Toker said access to X is sporadic, sometimes available in short cycles depending on your internet service provider, and users are forced to use virtual private networks.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party is the most prolific user of social media platforms, especially since the country's traditional media started censoring news about the former cricket star and his party in the run-up to the polls. It has become a user. Mr. Khan's X followers are his 20.6 million.
