The United States on Wednesday condemned the internet shutdown in Pakistan, including restrictions on social media platforms, and called on the Pakistani government to lift its measures.
Pakistan on Saturday imposed internet shutdowns and restrictions on social media applications, including X (formerly Twitter), after government officials publicly admitted to manipulating votes in the Feb. 8 election.
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Wednesday that the United States is concerned about reports of restrictions on the exercise of freedom of expression and association in Pakistan, including “government-imposed partial or total internet shutdowns. .Social Media Platforms.”
It added that Washington continues to urge Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and “restore access to all restricted social media, including Twitter, now known as X.” Miller said U.S. concerns were conveyed to Pakistan through official channels.
“We have and will continue to emphasize the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms in our engagement with Pakistani officials,” he added.
NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring company, cited examples of regulations related to election fraud. NetBlocks said: “Statistics show that X/Twitter remains largely restricted in Pakistan after four days. The imposition was imposed on Saturday as revelations about election fraud spread on the platform. ”
Pakistanis went to the polls earlier this month. Accusations of voter fraud have arisen after the election results were unusually delayed due to mobile internet being cut off on voting day.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have separately raised concerns about Pakistan’s electoral process following the election.
The United States has called for an investigation into the allegations of fraud, but has refused to comment on the composition of the coalition government, which requires formal approval by Congress.
“As always when you see coalition politics in a particular country, that’s their own decision and it’s not something we consider,” Miller said.
Pakistan was an ally of the United States during the Cold War and provided logistical support for the war in Afghanistan, but Pakistan’s covert support has been linked to the Taliban’s return to power and, more recently, to the United States’ embrace of Pakistan’s rival India. Relations deteriorated over the United States’ accusations against the two countries.
The two main dynastic parties, the military-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), announced late Tuesday that they will have to make a small bid to rule the world’s fifth most populous country. announced a coalition with a political party.
(With input from agency)
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