Civil society organizations demanded on Wednesday that the nationwide network outages and ongoing disruptions to social media platforms be promptly stopped.
Since February 17, when former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Chattha charged Pakistan’s chief election commissioner and chief justice of meddling in the February 8 federal elections, access to X has been restricted in various regions of the country.
During the general elections, there were likewise such disturbances.
In a statement released today, a group of civil society organizations and human rights activists expressed their “deep concern over the increasing instances” of social media platform blocking and internet shutdowns. They claimed that these actions not only violated people’s fundamental rights to free speech and information access, but also created a “troubling precedent of throttling genuine political discourse, including plurality of voices in the country.”
The abrupt and protracted disruption of ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) and other arbitrary platform blockings are alarming examples of the nation’s expanding digital censorship.
Such acts not only stifle different political viewpoints but also foster an atmosphere that aids in the dissemination of false information. Today’s public discourse is greatly influenced by digital platforms, so it is crucial to guarantee the unrestricted flow of information through these channels in order to maintain an informed public and fair election procedures.
“Pakistan’s international law commitments are undermined by the suppression of digital platforms, particularly when it is started without transparency and frequently disregards due process,” the statement states.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was also criticized for its lack of response, calling the body’s total quiet on the subject “very concerning” and stating that it had “exceeded its mandate to block an entire internet platform and failed to furnish any reasons for its actions.”
According to the statement, there has been a “clear erosion of trust between the state and its citizens” as a result of the “complete disregard for any accountability” and the lack of openness in the decision-making processes around network shutdowns and platform blocking.
“Reports of VPN (virtual private network) throttling, which compromises people’s access to information and right to privacy, also appall us.”
“We strongly recommend that the incoming government, regulatory agencies, and other public entities acknowledge that any measure that impedes the free exchange of information and restricts citizens’ capacity to express themselves will inevitably affect citizens’ human rights, including their right to political participation,” the statement read.
The declaration was signed by a number of journalists and activists as well as the digital campaigning group Bolo Bhi, Media Matters for Democracy, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Aurat March Lahore, and Pakistan Digital Editors Alliance.
The PTA has also received notice from the high courts about the limited access to social media platforms in more recent times.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS