Following four hours of temporary suspension, Pakistanis regained partial access to social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and Telegram – on Friday afternoon.
The Ministry of Interior had directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to temporarily block access to social media platforms, following which the latter issued a statement declaring a temporary ban for maintenance of “public order and safety”.
Access to these services remained suspended from 11 am to 3 pm, after which social media users across the country reported that access had been partially restored. The PTA, however, announced that access to social media had been restored.
Although the government did not specify why the decision had been taken, it is suspected that this was a move to contain the flow of information to prevent any backlash from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which was declared a proscribed organisation under the anti-terrorism law on Thursday after the federal cabinet approved a summary in this regard.
