Amnesty International demands immediate rehabilitation of ‘X’ from the government of Pakistan

Such actions are a violation of fundamental rights like freedom of expression and are exemplary attempts to stifle genuine political dialogue in the country
Media Editor
London: Amnesty International has demanded the government to immediately restore the social media platform X (Twitter), which has been blocked across the country for more than a month. Amnesty International, in a post on ‘X’, said it had signed a joint declaration with 28 civil society organizations urging the Pakistani authorities to restore access to ‘X’. In the statement, Amnesty International and various civil society organizations expressed deep concern over the increasing incidents of internet shutdowns and blocking of social media platforms before and after the general elections in Pakistan. Not only does it violate fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and access to information, but it is also an exemplary attempt to stifle genuine political dialogue, including diverse voices within the country. There is an attempt to suppress the views of the parties, but there is also the fear of spreading false information. The statement also expressed concern over the silence of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), which said that they had not informed about the closure of X. They did not give any reason and exceeded their authority by blocking the entire internet platform. Amnesty International, Pakistan Media Club London, Pakistan TV Anchors Association UK, Pakistan Bar Council, PFUJ, AGHS, BOLO. Also, a coalition of organizations including Media Matters for Democracy, Digital Rights Foundation, Pakistan Digital Editors Alliance, Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development, Human Rights Watch, Freedom Network, Pakistan Press, and others supported the joint statement.