X restored in Pakistan to counter India in ‘narrative war’, says lawmaker

Access to X (formerly Twitter) has been restored in Pakistan, a move officially confirmed by Senator Palwasha Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party, a key government ally.

Several users across the country also reported they were able to access the platform without VPNs or proxy services for the first time in months.

Senator Khan, who chairs the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, said she was informed of the decision by the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Justifying the move, she said, “We must respond to India effectively in this narrative war,” adding that the entire nation was now actively countering "Indian trollers."

The unannounced restoration of X comes amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and India.

Following a deadly attack in Pahalgam that killed 24 people -- mostly Indian nationals -- India launched what it described as “precision strikes” on targets in Pakistan mainly in Punjab in the wee hours of Wednesday. Pakistan, in turn, said it downed five Indian jets in retaliation.

Pakistan’s interior ministry had confirmed in April last year that access to X was blocked around the time of the February 2024 general elections, citing national security concerns.

In a recent submission to the Islamabad High Court, the ministry formally acknowledged the shutdown.

Despite the restrictions, many senior government officials -- including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif -- continued to use X during the ban, most likely via VPN services that bypass state-imposed blocks, Reuters reported.