- Justice Bajwa asks Maj-Gen (r) Hafeezur Rehman despite ban notification, PTA itself is using X account
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice on Thursday gave the PTA chairman the last chance for social media app X ban lifting, expressing disappointment with his replies submitted in the court.
LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum made the remarks while heading a three-member bench hearing the petitions filed by Hafiz Shakir Mahmood and others against the ban on X, commonly known as twitter.
PTA Chairman Maj-Gen (r) Hafeezur Rehman, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Asad Ali Bajwa, PTA Legal Advisor Afzal Khan and others appeared before the bench.
Seeking solution of issue during the hearing, Justice Aalia Neelum asked the PTA counsel to tell the court who will resolve this issue. “If federal cabinet is responsible for lifting the ban then the court will summon its head”, the court observed.
During the hearing, the PTA chief informed the LHC that shut down of the social media and websites were continued since 2016 in the country.
Maj-Gen (r) Hafeezur Rehman further said that SC had blocked YouTube for 4 years, Wikipedia, Facebook, TikTok were also blocked in Pakistan, social media was banned under PTA rules 5 and 7.
At this, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa asked the PTA chairman to show the court where in these rules it is written about ban?
Justice Bajwa suggested that why not court should take contempt of court action on it. Justice Ali Zia Bajwa directed PTA chief, “to point out the word banning of social media platforms in these rules. If you read all the rules, you will not find any mention of banning social media anywhere.”
Deputy Attorney General Asad Bajwa told the court that Interior Ministry said it has no such system to tell that how government departments were using social media app X.
Justice Ali Zia Bajwa, while addressing the Deputy Attorney General, said that an email has been sent to X, are you in any agreement with X? The Deputy Attorney General replied that “no, we do not have any agreement with X”. The court inquired, “so why would X provide you with the required information”?
Justice Bajwa further questioned “if PTA imposes a ban on someone, what action can be taken against its violation”? PTA lawyer Afzal Khan told the court that PTA chairman cannot say with absolute certainty who owns such and such an account.
Justice Bajwa further questioned PTA official, “Tell me whether the PTA X account is running? If it is running, how is it running?” The PTA chairman replied, “The Interior Ministry told us to block X under the web monitoring system.”
PTA chief told the court that if someone propagates against PTA, it uses its X account to ban it. PTA uses VPN. The court asked what if VPN is blocked? The Chairman of PTA replied that VPN cannot be blocked.
The LHC CJ told PTA chief that VPN service was being used in houses and software houses, noting the PTA has shown the public the path to VPN.
Justice Bajwa while addressing the PTA chief, said that “you have a two-line notification that X is banned, despite ban notification, PTA itself is using X account”. On this PTA Chairman sought apology from the court and said, I am not using X, my DG told me.”
The LHC CJ, while addressing PTA Chairman said, “How can an important officer make such an irresponsible statement?” The Chairman PTA replied, “If we shut down VPN, then IT industry will collapse, as the government was committed to meet its Rs25 billion annual export targets.”
Justice Ali Zia Bajwa while talking to the Chairman PTA, said PTA claimed the court should issue an order and the PTA will open the X. This means that the PTA has done something wrong and is now seeking the support of the court?. PTA lawyer Afzal Khan told the court that PTA did not do anything wrong, PTA should not be blamed. Later the court put off the hearing of the case till April 8, 2025.
