PTA lawyers present conflicting views on X ban before Sindh High Court

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 13 September 2024 |  JP Staff Report

KARACHI–Lawyers representing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) provided contradictory statements before a two-member bench of the Sindh High Court on Friday regarding the status of the ban on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Omar Sial, was hearing petitions filed against the ongoing suspension of mobile and internet services, as well as the ban on X, which has been in place since February of this year.

Ahsan Imam Rizvi, one of the PTA's lawyers, informed the court that the notification enforcing the ban on X had been withdrawn. This statement was met with skepticism by Abdul Moiz Jaferii, the counsel for the petitioners, who countered by stating that access to X was still unavailable to the public despite the claim.

To further complicate matters, when the court specifically inquired about the withdrawal of the notification, another PTA lawyer, Saad Siddiqui, expressed his uncertainty about the situation, admitting he did not know about the withdrawal.

The conflicting positions taken by PTA's legal team left the bench visibly perplexed. In response to the confusion, the court adjourned the hearing for two weeks and ordered the PTA and other respondents to return with a clear and unified stance on the status of the ban and related issues surrounding the suspension of internet services.

The ban on X has sparked significant debate since its imposition, with concerns over censorship, digital rights, and the impact on free speech. The case continues to attract attention as both the public and digital rights groups await clarity on the issue.