ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said it was seriously concerned by news emanating from Indian and US media that Indian government had attempted to infiltrate security system of eminent social media platform, Twitter, by forcing it to employ an Indian “agent/representative”.

As per media reports, matter came up during Twitter’s briefing to India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology where legal depositions made in US by a former Twitter employee were also discussed, a Foreign Office statement said.

Regrettably, a large number of Twitter handles particularly those belonging to Kashmiri political leaders and media persons, continue to remain blocked due to India’s frivolous legal objections. Only last month, Pakistan also registered its strong protest with Indian government over blocking of access to content of several Twitter handles of Pakistan’s diplomatic Missions as well as national broadcaster, it added.

“Pakistan deplores India’s brazen abuse of state-power and strong-arm tactics to manipulate and force-regulate Internet sphere. These actions are not only against international standards, obligations, norms and framework of flow of information but also reflect alarming pace of shrinking space for pluralistic voices and curbing of fundamental freedoms in India,” statement added.

Pakistan also called upon India to immediately reverse blockage of Twitter accounts of Pakistan’s diplomatic Missions and Radio Pakistan, to adhere to established international norms and standards of freedom of expression as espoused by United Nations and desist from employing subterfuges to control global Internet domain.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 30 2022

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