Pakistan, March 14 -- The Lahore High Court (LHC) has asked the Ministry of Interior to submit a report on the ban of social media platform X. A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Alia Neelum, heard petitions against the ban, including one from journalist Shakir Mahmood. Access to X has been restricted since February 17, 2024. Rights groups, journalists, and even the United States have urged Pakistan to lift restrictions on social media.

During the hearing, the court questioned the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on how it operates and why X remains accessible through VPNs despite the ban. Justice Neelum demanded transparency on whether government institutions are still using the platform. The interior ministry was instr...