Farhatullah Babar urges lifting Twitter ban in Pakistan

In a significant development, an ally of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the immediate lifting of the two-month-old ban on the popular social media platform Twitter. The ban was imposed in February following protests by the opposition party led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who alleged election rigging. The ban has sparked concerns over citizens' right to freedom of speech and expression.

Farhatullah Babar, a senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, emphasized the importance of upholding human rights and urged Prime Minister Sharif to revoke the ban on Twitter, which is widely used in Pakistan. The government initially cited national security concerns for the ban but is now facing pressure from human rights activists and courts to reconsider the decision.

Twitter, known as a vital platform for political discourse and activism in Pakistan, has been a key tool for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. The opposition claims that the ban is an attempt to stifle their voice on social media. Despite the restrictions, many users have resorted to VPN software to bypass the ban, highlighting the challenges faced by the government in controlling online content.

With millions of Pakistanis relying on Twitter for communication and information sharing, the ongoing ban has raised questions about the government's commitment to upholding democratic values and protecting citizens' rights. As pressure mounts from various quarters, including the judiciary and human rights advocates, the Sharif administration faces a critical decision on whether to lift the ban and restore access to the popular social media platform.