Islamabad
Concerns regarding the impact of online content on national security were highlighted by Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior during a hearing on the suspension of social media giant X, as reported by sources. The Ministry informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the content uploaded on the internet was deemed a ‘threat’ to the country’s national security. The comments were made by the joint secretary of the ministry during a hearing on journalist Ehtesham Abbasi’s petition against the suspension of social media platform X. X has remained inaccessible to millions of Pakistani users for over a month since its suspension on February 17.
The joint secretary of the Interior ministry appeared before Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court and submitted a report. The court sought official or written communication on the suspension of X. Chief Justice Farooq directed the joint secretary to provide written evidence of the threat to national security instead of verbal statements. The court instructed the interior secretary to appear again on April 17. Chief Justice Farooq expressed dissatisfaction, stating that there is malice in every institution, and warned of summoning the prime minister if necessary. The joint secretary requested the court not to summon any senior official.
