Piyush Bhasarkar
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Twitter has blocked the official account of the Pakistan government from being viewed in India for the second time in six months, according to a notice on the social media platform. The account, @GovtofPakistan, remained accessible from other countries such as the United States and Canada. it says, “Account Withheld @GovtofPakistan’s account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”
The notice on the account said that it was withheld in India in response to a legal demand. Twitter’s guidelines state that it can withhold entire accounts in response to a valid legal demand, such as a court order. However, the reason for the legal demand and who made it are not clear.
The Pakistan government’s account was also blocked in India in October 2022 and July 2022, but was later restored. The account posts updates on various issues related to Pakistan, such as its foreign policy, economy, culture and sports.
Twitter as well as India and Pakistan’s IT ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest incident. The two countries have a history of tense relations and often accuse each other of spreading misinformation and propaganda on social media.
Twitter has faced criticism and legal action from the Indian government over its compliance with the new IT rules that came into effect in May 2022. The rules require social media platforms to appoint local officers, remove objectionable content within a specified time frame and assist law enforcement agencies.
Twitter has said that it is committed to following the law of the land, but also expressed concerns over the potential threat to freedom of expression and privacy of its users.
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