Atta Tarar reveals reason for closure of social media platform 'X'

NEW YORK: Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Atta Tarar, on Friday clarified the reasons behind the ban on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the Pakistani government aims to engage in dialogue with the platform to resolve ongoing issues, ARY News reported.

During an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Atta Tarar explained that Pakistan is upgrading its web management system to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks.

Addressing the ban on X during the election period, he asserted that the primary goal was to curb terrorism rather than restrict freedom of expression.

The Minister highlighted that separatists, nationalists, and terrorist groups, such as the BLA, have used X to incite violence, even giving live coverage of attacks like the one on Gwadar Port Authority.

He emphasized that the platform has been used to undermine national security, justifying the government’s intervention.

Tarar expressed hope for resolving the situation through discussions with X, aiming for a mutual understanding that addresses security concerns while maintaining communication channels.