News Brief
Pakistan Bans Social Media Platform X Ahead Of Its Majority Owner Elon Musk's India Visit
Nayan Dwivedi
Apr 18, 2024, 12:06 PM | Updated 11:57 AM IST
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In a recent development, the Pakistan government has defended its decision to ban the popular microblogging site Twitter, now known as X within its borders, citing national security concerns.
The move comes after the social media platform purportedly failed to address issues regarding its misuse, prompting the government to take action.
Interestingly, this development comes amid the upcoming visit by Elon Musk to India. Musk is the majority owner of the microblogging website.
Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla, is poised to announce a substantial investment of $2-3 billion in India, primarily for constructing a new EV factory.
Also, Elon Musk's satellite internet venture, Starlink, has recently cleared a significant regulatory hurdle by receiving in-principle approval from India's telecom ministry.
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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was hearing a petition filed by journalist Ehtisham Abbasi, who challenged the disruption in access to Twitter/X since 17 February.
Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, representing the government, submitted a report to the IHC, asserting that Twitter's failure to adhere to lawful directives and address concerns regarding platform misuse necessitated the ban.
According to the government's report, the decision to impose the ban was made in the interest of upholding 'national security', maintaining public order, and preserving the integrity of the nation.
It mentioned that certain hostile elements operating on Twitter had nefarious intentions to create chaos and instability, aiming to destabilize the country.
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Nayan Dwivedi is Staff Writer at Swarajya.
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