The regulator says it has approached the platform three times since 2022; Court points out lack of access to a lawyer for imprisoned PTI founder
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority on Thursday informed the Islamabad High Court that it had approached
According to a PTA report submitted to the court, the authority first wrote to X on August 21, 2022, requesting that Imran Khan’s account be blocked. A second request was submitted on April 18, 2024, citing convictions in the Toshakhana, cipher and iddat cases, the report said.
The proceedings stem from a court petition filed by citizen Ghulam Murtaza seeking the blocking of Khan’s
The PTA told the court that a third application was filed on November 27, 2025, seeking blocking of “47 tweets” posted by the PTI founder. However, X acted on only one tweet, while the rest of the request was rejected, according to the report.
Read: Adiala jail denies that PTI founder manages account X from prison
The PTA stated that despite contacting X “three times” during this period, the social media platform refused to suspend the account. The authority also informed the court that it had ordered social media companies to register with the PTA and appoint local representatives in Pakistan, but said the companies had “neither registered nor appointed a local focal person”.
The report further notes that social media companies are registered in their respective countries and “are not considered subject to the laws of other states,” adding that complaints from other jurisdictions are evaluated based on each platform’s internal policies.
The PTA report was submitted to the Islamabad High Court in connection with a petition seeking closure of the PTI founder’s X account.
During the hearings on January 21 and 22, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir repeatedly expressed concern over the authorities’ failure to facilitate a meeting between Imran Khan and his lawyer, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, despite a court order issued on November 4 allowing such consultation. Raja told the court that he had not been allowed to meet his client even once since filing the case, stating: “I have filed the case, but I am not allowed to meet my client.”
The court questioned how proceedings could proceed without legal consultation, noting that closing arguments could not be heard without attorney-client access. “Without allowing the meeting, how will this case move forward?” Judge Tahir commented, adding that once the meeting is arranged, the matter could move on to final arguments scheduled for February 24.
Read more: IHC links case X to Imran’s lawyer access
During the same hearings, the court termed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) response in the Account Addressing the PTA lawyer, Justice Tahir remarked that the authority should “see what the court petition is and then look at its response.”
The government attorney argued that issues related to the jail meetings were being heard by a larger court. However, the court refused to delay the proceedings on that ground and sought a detailed written response from Advocate General Islamabad in the contempt petition regarding non-compliance with the November 4 order.
Imran Khan has been detained in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since September 2023. According to statements submitted to the court, he has not been allowed to meet his lawyers since November 2025.
