• Pakistan has registered a strong protest with New Delhi
• Foreign Office summoned Indian Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad
• Indian government has blocked access to 80 Twitter accounts

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has registered a strong protest over the recent blocking of Twitter accounts of Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in India.

The Indian Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday and a strong demarche was handed on the Indian government’s blocking of access to 80 accounts on Twitter.

India has blocked access to the Twitter accounts of Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, UN and the national broadcaster Radio Pakistan.

The Indian diplomat was conveyed that these actions are against the international standards, obligations, norms, and framework of flow of information and reflect the alarming pace of shrinking space for pluralistic voices and curbing of fundamental freedoms in India.

It was noted that the new illegal practice employed by the Indian government of regulating the internet sphere with regard to diplomatic accounts, with a clear intent to stifle dissent stood completely against the rights to access to information and fundamental freedom of opinion or expression.

The Indian government was urged to immediately reverse its actions of blocking of Pakistan’s diplomatic Missions’ and Radio Pakistan’s Twitter accounts in India.

India must also abide by the established international norms and standards as espoused by the United Nations and also ensure protection of fundamental freedoms and respect for dissent.

Earlier, the Foreign Office expressed concerns over the blocking of access in India to the Twitter handles of its missions abroad by the Indian government.

In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said India has withheld access to the Twitter handles of Pakistan’s embassies in Iran, Turkiye, Egypt and the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and many others.

The spokesperson urged Twitter to immediately restore access to the Pakistan missions’ accounts and ensure adherence to democratic freedoms of speech and expression. He said the social media platforms must abide by the applicable international norms.

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