Netanyahu came under personal attack from Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for failing to rule out an Israeli government in Gaza after the war
In a significant development, the Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to completely restore the services of social media platform X throughout the country, as reported by Dawn.
X has remained inaccessible in various parts of Pakistan for the sixth consecutive day, with disruptions reported in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Gujranwala, Lahore, and other cities, according to the monitoring website Downdetector.
During Thursday's hearing, SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi instructed the PTA to ensure uninterrupted restoration of X's services across the nation, as per Dawn.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The directive came in response to a petition filed by senior journalists through Advocate Abdul Moiz Jaferii, contending that blocking access to X violated Article 19 and 19-A of the Constitution and was unlawful and arbitrary.
According to Dawn, the petition named the PTA, Interior Ministry, and Information Ministry as respondents.
X has been inaccessible since February 17, when former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Chattha held a press conference and accused the chief election commissioner and chief justice of being involved in rigging the Feb 8 general elections.
Various rights bodies, journalists' organisations, and internet service providers have criticised the restrictions on social media, highlighting the losses incurred due to disruptions.
The United States also urged Pakistan to lift social media restrictions, expressing concern over any limitations on freedom of association and expression.
During Thursday's hearing, Advocate Jafferi noted that the interior ministry denied issuing directives for X's suspension, while the IT ministry highlighted the flourishing state of the information technology sector in Pakistan.
Justice Abbasi questioned the authority behind the suspension orders, to which Jafferi emphasized that only the PTA holds the authority to suspend or slow down X's services.
The lawyer further highlighted that journalists and others who used X for financial purposes were suffering due to the disruptions, adding that the suspension also hindered the provision of advertisements to Palestine and information regarding the situation in Gaza.
"For how many days has X been suspended for?" the judge asked. He also recalled that the court had earlier issued directives for uninterrupted access to the internet and social media platforms.
However, Jafferi highlighted that his petition was different, adding that disruptions to the services of X began the day the former Rawalpindi commissioner's statement pertaining to alleged rigging emerged.
The SHC directed the PTA to fully restore X and requested detailed responses from the respondents in the upcoming hearing.
The petition underscored that the PTA's actions invaded fundamental rights and violated laws governing telecommunications regulation in the country.
It called for immediate restoration of public access to X and urged permanent restraint on arbitrary restrictions, in line with applicable laws and the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973.
The SHC's directive marks a crucial step towards upholding freedom of speech and expression in Pakistan's digital landscape.
ALSO READ:
Netanyahu came under personal attack from Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for failing to rule out an Israeli government in Gaza after the war
Fico has been in hospital since Wednesday when a lone gunman shot him four times, including in the abdomen
The country was one of the donor states to freeze around $450 million in funds after Israel accused 12 UNRWA staff of participating in the Hamas-led attack
The floods on Friday also destroyed about 2,000 houses, and damaged thousands more homes and businesses
Official says the bomb blast happened after a militant group demanded extortion money from the group that runs the school
He accuses sports bodies of not allowing Russian athletes to perform at the games with the country's banner, flag and national anthem
The incident occurred when around 180 passengers were onboard; inquiry launched
He was found guilty last month of murder, attempted murder and assaulting two female detectives during his police interview