Internet monitor Netblocks has reported a nation- wide disruption to social media platforms in Pakistan on Saturday amid a virtual event organised by the Imran Khan’s party PTI.
“Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to social media platforms across Pakistan, including X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube,” the internet tracking agency said at 7:12pm ( Pakistan standard time)
It further added that “the incident comes as persecuted opposition leader Imran Khan’s political party, PTI, launches its second virtual gathering.”
Responding to the tracking agency’s confirmation, the PTI said: “Shame on the caretakers govt that are causing damage to Pakistanis only.”
The party said its virtual event would begin at 8pm ( Pakistan Standard Time).
A similar disruption occurred on January 7 as the PTI held a virtual fundraising telethon.
When asked for a comment, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had told Dawn.com that all social media networks were active and the authority had not received any complaints.
The PTI has urged the Supreme Court to take notice of the frequent suspension of internet service and blockage of social media websites across Pakistan during the party’s fundraising telethon.
In a statement, the PTI spokesperson had alleged that 240 million Pakistani people were deprived of their basic rights by the suspension, which also resulted in financial losses for the country.
Telecom operators had also expressed concern over frequent internet outages “on political grounds”.
Quirred about the matter on Jan 10 by reporters, Pakistan interim Information Minister Murtaza Solangi had said that such technical problems had occurred in the past as well.
“The reasons were technical and had nothing to do with politics,” he had claimed and advised reporters to contact the PTA for more details.
Social media platforms across Pakistan were also similarly disrupted on December 17 when the PTI organised a virtual power show.
