December 12, 2025
By: Ahmed Saeed & Rehan Piracha
Pakistan’s Federal State Minister for Law and Justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, has warned that the government may ban X and other social media platforms that fail to cooperate with authorities in combating terrorism and curbing the online propaganda of proscribed organisations.
Speaking to Voicepk, Malik said the government has shared evidence with major platforms showing how their services are being used to amplify terror activities. However, only a few companies have acted on Pakistan’s requests to block such content.
“X, formerly Twitter, has been the least cooperative in removing content detrimental to Pakistan’s security. Telegram, on the other hand, has been the most responsive and has acted on many of our complaints,” he said.
Malik added that Pakistan has formally asked all major social media platforms to either establish local offices in the country or appoint designated representatives to strengthen coordination, improve enforcement of local laws, and ensure timely action on complaints.
“If they do not comply with Pakistan’s requirements, then as a last resort the government will be left with no option but to ban these platforms,” he warned.
The minister also criticised X for what he described as “double standards” in its global moderation policies. “Posts related to Palestine are taken down within 24 hours and accounts are blocked. Here, we are talking about matters of terrorism,” he said.
Citing international precedents, Malik pointed to Brazil’s Supreme Court action in 2024, where X faced strict court orders, removal of disinformation-related content, and a fine of USD 5.2 million for non-compliance.
In early 2025, Pakistan’s Parliament passed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, which significantly changed the original PECA law and strengthened the government’s regulatory reach over online speech and digital platforms. The amendment created the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA) and the Social Media Protection Tribunal.
These bodies can order the removal or blocking of content, register or deregister platforms, and even suspend or shut down services that fail to comply with directives.
Digital rights activists, however, warn that in this tussle between big tech corporations and the state, it is the citizens who ultimately suffer.
Digital rights activist and BoloBhi co-founder Usama Khilji said there is a clear precedent of the platform’s importance—not only for citizens in general but for the state itself. In the past, the government cited security, terrorism and other issues to justify the ban on X. But we all saw how, when tensions with India escalated, it was Pakistan that unblocked X because it was clearly necessary for ‘national security’ for the platform to be accessible to all Pakistani citizens,” he said
“So I think such talk of censorship is unfounded and rooted in the government’s paranoia of citizens holding it accountable and exposing its corruption and violations of fundamental rights that continue unabated today”, he added
Rights activist Farieha Aziz said such bans are less about protecting citizens and more about pushing platforms to comply with censorship demands.
“What we need to examine is the nature of requests the government sends to tech companies — many of which fall under protected speech,” she said.
“For example, Google’s transparency report shows the PTA sought removal of a Google Drive letter under Section 11 of PECA, citing hate speech. The letter, however, was written by academics discussing the shrinking academic space. These are the kinds of laughable requests being sent. Who will take them seriously? They only raise red flags about what the state considers ‘illegal’ content.”
History of Social Media Bans and Internet Outages in Pakistan
Pakistan has a long-standing record of restricting digital platforms and internet connectivity, often citing security needs and concerns over harmful content.
• X (formerly Twitter)
Blocked in February 2024, days after the general elections, following allegations of platform misuse and misinformation. The blockade lasted for months, with access largely dependent on VPNs. The ban was quietly rescinded during the Pakistan–India four-day war.
• TikTok
Banned multiple times since 2020 over alleged “immoral” and “indecent” content. Each ban was reversed after the company agreed to strengthen content moderation mechanisms.
• YouTube
One of Pakistan’s longest bans came in 2012, when YouTube was blocked for hosting blasphemous content. The platform remained inaccessible until 2016, when a localized filtering system was introduced.
• Wikipedia
Temporarily blocked in 2023 due to disputes over specific pages. Access was restored following public backlash and engagement with the platform.
• Blanket Social Media Shutdowns & Internet Blackouts
During major political events—protests, long marches, key court appearances, security operations, and high-tension days—the government has routinely suspended the internet or blocked access to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp to maintain “law and order.”