PM to ‘decide fate’ of social media during Muharram

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has deferred a decision on the Punjab government’s request for the suspension of six social media platforms for around a week, during Muharram.

The provincial governments’ petitions for an internet shutdown are still pending, according to a statement released by the interior ministry on Friday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will ultimately decide on this matter.

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The declaration clarified that the provinces’ proposals had “neither been rejected nor accepted.”

The statement made it apparent that Punjab was not the only province to have requested this, although it did not specify which other provinces had made similar demands.]

Dawn was informed earlier by an authority that watertight security procedures will be implemented, rather than social media outlets being blocked. But on the 9th and 10th of Muharram, he had alluded to the fact that cellphone service might be unavailable for a few hours in a few places.

The Punjab administration requested that the federal government impose a social media ban from Muharram 6–11 in order to curb the dissemination of hate speech and disinformation and avert sectarian conflict.

Based on intelligence inputs indicating intentions to disturb peace in some locations, the provincial administration had filed a request.

Following a meeting, the provincial home department recommended in writing to the interior ministry that “social media applications Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok, etc. across the province from Muharram 6 to 11 be suspended in order to control hate material, misinformation, and to avoid sectarian violence.”

According to sources, the Punjab government had originally intended to impose a two-day social media ban, but it ultimately decided to take more drastic actions in response to intelligence inputs.