Nationwide Disruption Hits Meta & other Social Media in Pakistan

Social media platforms face a major disruption, affecting X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube in Pakistan. Users report issues accessing these sites, sparking concerns about internet access and digital freedom.

In recent events, social media platforms across Pakistan faced a significant disruption. It impacted popular services like X (previously Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. People from major cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad reported trouble accessing these platforms around 17th December, 8 pm local time. Users also complained about slow internet during the disruption.

The internet monitoring service Netblocks quickly reported the incident, saying “The incident comes just ahead of a major virtual gathering organized by persecuted opposition leader Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf”.

⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to social media platforms across #Pakistan, including X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube; the incident comes just ahead of a major virtual gathering organized by persecuted opposition leader Imran Khan's party, PTI pic.twitter.com/ifWNN9ZwYL
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) December 17, 2023

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This isn’t the first time social media access has been affected in Pakistan. On May 9, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed a suspension of mobile internet across the country. Access to Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube was restricted around the same time when PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested.

As people try to figure out what’s happening, some use VPN services to get around the issues and use social media. As per the speculations, this disruption comes when a virtual rally by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is happening, making people more concerned about how freely information can flow online.

But there is no confirmed news that the disruption comes due to the virtual rally of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf. The exact reason for the disruption is still unknown and there is no official explanation for the disruption of the social media services in Pakistan.