PTA remains silent as X (Twitter) blockade enters seventh day in Pakistan

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) remains silent over the blockade of social media platform X (Twitter) as the users remain frustrated for the seventh consecutive day.

The platform's services suspended from Saturday night after the ex-Rawalpindi commissioner's revelations, could not be revived completely. 

NetBlocks, a cybersecurity watchdog, has drawn attention to the ongoing restriction of Twitter in Pakistan, highlighting continuous blockage metrics. This further exacerbates concerns regarding internet accessibility in the region. 

Earlier data from Downdetector revealed a surge in reports of potential issues on Twitter across the country, with at least 83 reports recorded at one point. This indicates the widespread impact of the platform's inaccessibility on Pakistani users.

Individuals attempting to access Twitter have been met with error messages such as "this site can’t be reached," adding to frustrations over the prolonged outage. The situation has prompted criticism from netizens expressing dismay over the extended disruption and its implications for communication and information dissemination.

It's noteworthy that the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued a directive on Wednesday instructing the federal government and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to reinstate the services of social media platforms, including Twitter, throughout Pakistan.

This directive, from a bench of the SHC led by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, was issued in response to a petition challenging the recent "unconstitutional" internet shutdowns across the nation. Additionally, the court demanded a report from the PTA regarding the suspension of internet services on election day and issued a notice to the federal government.