Platform X disrupted for 2 weeks after Pakistan’s elections
A week after Pakistan’s elections ended, social media platform X has been disrupted across the country
Access to social media platform X was restricted on Feb. 10 amid ongoing vote counting for Feb. 8 elections, raising concerns over transparency.
In Pakistan, the Pakistan Justice Movement (PTI), the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been organizing protests across the country on the grounds that the Feb. 8 elections were rigged.
Over the past week, access has only been intermittent, depending on the internet service provider.
“Pakistan’s directed use of network shutdowns and restrictions to overtly target political parties and the reporting of election irregularities is unprecedented,” Alp Toker of the NetBlocks web watchdog told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
AFP staff reported that X remained disrupted in the capital, Islamabad, as well as the megacities of Lahore and Karachi on Saturday.
Pakistan’s telecommunication authority declined to comment, while the interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The blackout, coupled with a long delay in issuing voting results, gave rise to allegations of rigging.
Source: Newsroom & Agence France-Presse
