The Sindh High Court issued a directive on Wednesday to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to restore access to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) which has been blocked by the orders of PTA since February 17, 2024.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, ordered “uninterrupted” access to the social media platform for Pakistani citizens. The petition was filed by Advocate Abdul Jaferii on behalf of a senior journalist who contended the blocking of X was regressive, arbitrary and in contravention of Article 19 of the Pakistani Constitution which guarantees freedom of the press and the right to freedom of speech and expression to all the citizens.

The PTA has been intermittently blocking access to the platform for Pakistani citizens since February 17. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has called on the government to take swift and prompt action to restore full internet services across the nation and emphasized that any contradictory actions pose a great threat to the fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution.

The move has also come under international scrutiny with US Department of State Spokesperson Mathew Miller stating in a press briefing on Wednesday that the US is  “concerned about any report of restrictions on the exercise of the freedom of expression and association in Pakistan.”