Pakistan Announces Six-Day Social Media Ban to Control Hate Material During Ramadan

The Pakistan government, after successfully blocking X (formerly Twitter) for over four months, plans to ban all social media platforms from July 13 to 18. This decision aims to control hate material during the Islamic month of Ramadan. The platforms affected include YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's cabinet committee on law and order has recommended this ban during 6 to 11 Muharram. The ban will affect Punjab, a province with over 120 million people. The goal is to control hate material and misinformation to prevent sectarian violence, according to a notification issued by the Punjab government late Thursday night.

Government's Request for Suspension

Maryam Nawaz's Punjab government has requested her uncle Shehbaz Sharif's central government to notify the suspension of all social media platforms for six days. This request highlights the urgency and seriousness of controlling digital content during this sensitive period.

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir has labelled social media as a vicious medium. He emphasised the need to combat what he termed as digital terrorism. This stance aligns with the government's recent actions against social media platforms.

Previous Social Media Shutdowns

In February, the Shehbaz government shut down X following allegations of election result tampering by the Election Commission of Pakistan. This action was reportedly ordered by the military establishment to prevent Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's jailed founder Imran Khan from gaining power.

Since former Prime Minister Imran Khan's ouster through a no-confidence motion in April 2022, both the military and the government have faced backlash on social media. In response, dozens of social media activists from Khan's party have been arrested.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as foreign minister, recently called for a complete ban on social media. This call reflects ongoing concerns about the impact of digital platforms on national security and public order.

The planned six-day ban on social media platforms underscores the government's efforts to maintain peace and control information flow during significant religious periods.