Pakistan calls out India's attempt to control Twitter

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Monday has expressed concern regarding India's manipulation of Twitter by having one of its "agents" installed in the tech company.

In a statement, the ministry has reacted to news emanating from  Indian and US media about how the former's government has attempted to infiltrate the social media site's security system by forcing  its management to hire an Indian "representative".

FO stated that the matter surfaced during Twitter's briefing to India's Parliamentary  Standing Committee on Information and Technology where discussions regarding legal depositions made in the US by a former Twitter employee were also touched upon.

"Regrettably, a large number of Twitter handles particularly those belonging to Kashmiri political leaders and media persons, continue to remain blocked due to India’s frivolous legal objections," the FO statement read.

The ministry further added that Pakistan, last month, registered a strong protest with the Indian government over the blocking of access to content of several Twitter handles of Pakistan’s diplomatic Missions and the country's national broadcaster Radio Pakistan.

"Pakistan deplores India’s brazen abuse of state-power and strong-arm tactics to manipulate and force-regulate the Internet sphere," FO stated, criticising India for taking actions that go against international standards, obligations, norms, and framework of flow of information.

It added that such moves by India also reflect the alarming pace of shrinking space for pluralistic voices and curbing of fundamental freedoms in India.

FO has also demanded India to immediately unblock Twitter accounts of Pakistan's diplomatic missions and  Radio Pakistan.

The statement further adds that India should "desist from employing subterfuges to control the global Internet domain".