US Requests that Pakistan Remove Social Media and Internet Prohibitions

The U.S. State Department has asked the Pakistani government to remove limitations on social media platforms and denounced internet shutdowns that have occurred in Pakistan.

Internet monitoring supporters have drawn attention to internet disruptions and limitations following demonstrations in response to allegations of irregularities in Pakistan's elections.

"We are worried by any reports of restrictions on the exercise of the freedom of expression and association in Pakistan, like the partial or complete government-imposed internet shutdowns, which involves, of course, on social media platforms," Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, told reporters.

US requests Pakistan to lift social media & Internet censorship

Per Miller, Pakistan was urged by Washington to uphold freedom of speech and "restore access to any social media that has been restricted, including Twitter." 

He claimed Pakistan had received word of the American concerns via formal channels.

Examples of limitations were reported by the worldwide internet watchdog Netblocks last week. 

"Metrics show that X/Twitter continues largely restricted in Pakistan past the four-day mark; imposed as disclosures relating to election fraud circulated on the platform," Netblocks said.

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