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Pakistan's Ministry of Interior highlighted concerns regarding the impact of online content on national security during a hearing on the suspension of social media giant X, Geo News reported.
The Ministry told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday that "content uploaded on the internet" was a 'threat' to the country's national security. According to Geo News, the comments of the joint secretary of the ministry came during a hearing on journalist Ehtesham Abbasi's petition against the suspension of social media platform X. A significant platform for the dissemination of information, X has remained inaccessible to millions of Pakistani users for over a month since its suspension on February 17. The joint secretary of the Interior ministry appeared before the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, Justice Aamer Farooq, who was hearing the plea and submitted a report in the court, according to Geo News. The court sought to know if there was any official or written communication on the suspension of X. "What is this method? What is this attitude? Assist the court," the CJ asked, adding that everything is "closed and jammed". The court told the joint secretary that he should give in writing what was the threat to the national security and not just make verbal statements in the court. "Show us the documents. There will be no verbal conversation," Justice Farooq told the top ministry official. In a manner of rebuke or remonstration, the chief justice pointed out that his secretary would draft a better report than this. At this, the joint secretary told Justice Farooq to look at the other page. At this point, the CJ asked if this was the joint secretary's first appearance before the court. The secretary then claimed that the content uploaded on the internet was a threat to national security. Asking if the state had any evidence of the threat, the chief justice said, "You closed X on the Intelligence Bureau's (IB) report. There are no reasons written in it, only a report based on speculation." Justice Farooq then asked the joint secretary to submit any other verdicts by other courts regarding this matter. Later, the court directed the interior secretary to appear before the court again on April 17. "There is malice in every institution," the chief justice stated, adding that now that the elections are over, "this matter should end". "Let the interior secretary come then we will see. If [nothing happens even then] then we will summon the prime minister," he added. At this, the joint secretary requested the court to not summon any senior official. (ANI)
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