Pakistan is preparing to impose a temporary ban on major social media platforms, including YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, from July 13 to 18. The decision aims to curb the spread of "hate material" during the holy month of Ramadan, according to a Punjab government notification issued late Thursday night. The move follows a previous four-month block of Twitter, now known as X, earlier this year.
According to a notification from Punjab's cabinet committee on law and order, the ban is intended to prevent misinformation and sectarian violence, particularly in Punjab, a province with a population exceeding 120 million. The provincial government has requested federal authorities, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to enforce the suspension.
Pakistan's army chief, Gen Asim Munir, described social media as "vicious" and emphasized the need to combat what he termed "digital terrorism." Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, also the foreign minister, has recently advocated for a complete ban on social media platforms.
The Shehbaz Sharif government had previously shut down Twitter in February following allegations of election result tampering by the Election Commission of Pakistan. This move was seen as an effort, reportedly influenced by the military, to prevent Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party from gaining power after Khan's ouster via a no-confidence vote in April 2022. The crackdown on social media activists affiliated with Khan's party has sparked significant criticism and controversy against both the military and government.