Pakistan experienced widespread internet disruptions, rendering major social media platforms inaccessible, including Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. The disruptions, lasting for several hours, were officially attributed to a “technical failure” by Pakistan’s telecommunication authority, leading to a nationwide blackout. However, local media reports suggested a political motive, alleging an attempt to disrupt a virtual rally organized by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of the upcoming general elections in February.
This incident marks a recurring pattern, as similar internet outages were reported in January and December during online campaign events organized by Imran Khan’s party. The party, known as PTI, accused the sitting government of resorting to “desperate tactics” and recommended the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) for accessing blocked social media platforms. Despite the disruptions, PTI managed to host part of the online event on YouTube with over 7,000 participants, denouncing oppression and emphasizing the resilience of the people’s will.
Alp Toker, the director of internet monitoring firm NetBlocks, described the outage as “remarkably systematic” and consistent with past restrictions imposed during PTI events. The internet provider Nayatel informed customers that it was acting on Pakistani authorities’ instructions, adding to the complexity of the situation. The disruption highlights the increasing importance of online appearances for Imran Khan, who has been prevented from in-person campaigning. The digital rights organization Access Now criticized the internet shutdowns as “problematic,” especially when occurring just before elections, urging Pakistani authorities to respect the people’s mandate.
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