ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has fully endorsed Amnesty International’s demand for the immediate restoration of social media platform X, stating that Pakistan has become a laughing stock in the international community due to the unjustified blockage of social media and the chain of oppression against its own citizens.

A party spokesperson said that the government’s unjustified closure of the internet, especially social media websites on a daily basis, to conceal facts regarding the “mandate theft” in the general elections, has provided opportunities for the world to ridicule Pakistan.

According to the party’s media wing, he alleged that the Constitution was virtually suspended during the past 23 months and basic constitutional rights were openly being trampled upon.

“It is shameful that X has remained blocked in the country for over one month now. We fully endorse 28 civil society organisations’ demand for immediate removal of ban on the social media platform, allowing free flow of information as should be the case in a democratic country,” said the PTI spokesperson.

He went on to say that the murder of freedom of expression and the press had been the topmost priority of the “usurper and anti-constitutional” group.

He stated that all kinds of coercive and brutal tactics, ranging from enforced disappearances to blackmailing their families, had been used to target impartial journalists and social media workers.

He lamented that efforts were afoot to strangle the freedom of expression and the press to suppress critical, sane voices to establish control over the media.

The PTI spokesperson stated that the government of the “people-rejected” PDM-2 continued the series of violations of all fundamental and constitutional rights without any fear of accountability.

He made it clear that the closure of social networking websites by the authorities without any reason and justification was a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution and international laws. He said that PTI supported the statement of Amn­esty International and demanded immediate restoration of social media platform ‘X’.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024