X remains inaccessible in Pakistan for third consecutive day

ISLAMABAD: Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, remained disrupted for the third consecutive day in Pakistan on Monday, Downdetector reported.

The outage, initially reported a little after 10:30 a.m., persisted until noon before services were restored around 12:24 p.m. However, disruptions resurfaced after 1 p.m.

Downdetector, which collates status reports from various sources including users, highlighted Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Gujranwala among the areas most affected.

This marks the third successive day of service interruptions for X amid allegations of electoral rigging in the February 8 polls.

On Saturday, internet monitor Netblocks reported a nationwide disruption to X “amid escalating unrest and protests over allegations of election fraud, following a high-level resignation and public admission of vote manipulation by former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaqat Ali Chattha, who alleged massive rigging.

Netblocks revealed on Sunday that its metrics indicated X had been restricted in Pakistan for 24 hours, labeling it “the latest and longest in a series of nation-scale internet censorship measures imposed by authorities as reports of election fraud emerge.”

Digital rights activist Usama Khilji noted on Sunday that X was inaccessible for many users except via select virtual private networks (VPNs), with complaints about blocked VPNs and slow internet speeds.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the shutdown of the internet or any social media platforms, stating it negatively impacts online businesses, commerce, and adds to the challenges of an already fragile economy.

The HRCP emphasized that such practices infringe on people’s democratic rights, access to information, and freedom of expression, demanding an immediate cessation.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has refrained from commenting on the service disruption, redirecting queries to the interior ministry.