Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi seeks review of social media laws amid nationwide X disruption

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi seeks review of social media laws amid nationwide X disruption!

Microblogging site X, formerly Twitter, remains inaccessible to millions of netizens in Pakistan since its suspension before the February 8 general elections.

While talking to the media on Tuesday in Lahore, the federal interior minister said “Social media laws should be envisaged.”

”Social media is being misused. Social media regulations have been implemented across the globe,” he added.

The interior minister believed freedom of expression should be separated from propaganda, and smear campaigns against people. “Everyone has the right to freedom of speech, however, it should not be misused.”

Responding to the question, Mohsin Naqvi said that smear campaigns against politicians, judiciary, and other national institutions should be stopped.

He advocated implementing social media laws in the country following patterns of developed countries like the United States (US).

The statement from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi came after Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar addmitted that the social networking app was suspended in the country.

Earlier Atta Tarar, responding to queries regarding X’s (former Twitter) suspension, said that the platform was already banned when they came to power, whereas, there was no official notification regarding the ban.