Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday that social media platform X has been banned due to national security issues, not to curb freedom of expression.
On Friday, in an interview with Voice of America, Tarar dispelled the impression that it was an unannounced ban, saying that the caretaker government had banned X before the February 8 general elections due to issues related to compliance.
“Separatists and terrorists were using the platform against Pakistan, which could not be allowed,” Tarar said.
He added that terrorists belonging to the “so-called” Balochistan Liberation Army were using the platform to promote their anti-state activities.
“Even the terrorists showed their terrorist activities live on the X without any check,” he added.
The minister said the matter of a ban on X was sub judice and the interior ministry had already filed its reply in the court regarding that.
“As Pakistanis, we can request the management of X to remove anti-state content uploaded by terrorists,” he stressed.
Terrorists, he added, were misusing social media platforms which was unjustified.
“There must be some system to regulate social media. A web management system was already in place,” he said, adding there was no harm in ensuring cyber and data security through it.
He opined that a Digital Rights Protection Authority type institution was needed where the people could file complaints for redressal.—APP
