Govt again put on notice for X ban

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has once again issued a notice to the federal government, seeking a response in a petition filed against the ban on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The case was heard by a two-member bench comprising Justice Naeem Anwar and Justice Fazal Subhan.The petitioner, Nauman Mehibullah Kakakhel, informed the court that platform X had been blocked in Pakistan for several months, causing difficulties for the public.

He argued that X was a vital source of information used by politicians, students, and business professionals. Despite this, he added, and while the prime minister and federal ministers themselves continue to use X, the platform remained inaccessible across the country.

The petitioner said the ban had created hurdles to access to information and that restrictions had also been imposed on the dissemination of certain news items in the media.The petitioner requested the honourable bench to lift the ban on X to facilitate public access to the platform. After hearing the arguments, the court issued a notice to the Ministry of Interior and sought a response.