In a significant development, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi issued a directive on Wednesday ordering the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to promptly reinstate internet services throughout the country.
The order came during a hearing on a case regarding the recent shutdown of internet services and social media platforms. The hearing also touched upon the issue of restrictions imposed on internet services during the election day proceedings on February 8.
Following the commencement of polling on February 8, internet services and major social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook, were restricted. The caretaker government cited security reasons and threat alerts as the basis for this action.
During the hearing, the PTA counsel informed the court that the authority had acted upon directives from the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Internal Affairs. The court then requested the PTA counsel to provide specific reasons for the internet shutdown on February 8.
The PTA representative explained that the decision to restrict internet services was made in response to the prevailing law and order situation across the country.
While internet services have now been restored, users continue to face intermittent disruptions in accessing X. Reports indicate that on February 17, users in various parts of the country experienced slow or non-existent accessibility to the platform.
This order from the Sindh High Court underscores the importance of ensuring uninterrupted internet access, especially during critical events such as elections, while also raising concerns about the ongoing challenges with accessing certain social media platforms.
