Punjab government asks Home Ministry to block social media platforms during Muharram

LAHORE: The Punjab government has asked the Home Ministry to temporarily block several social media platforms from 6 to 11 Muharram to curb the spread of hate speech and misinformation and maintain law and order in the province.

Sources close to the decision-making process said the move goes beyond previous measures such as internet shutdowns and mobile phone disruptions during Ashura, citing concerns that external influences could play a role in the spread of hate material.

The Standing Cabinet Committee on Law and Order (SCCLO) and the Punjab Home Ministry felt that despite the internet shutdowns, social media apps continued to be a major channel for spreading misinformation, thus necessitating their temporary closure.

Following a meeting of the SCCLO on Thursday, the Ministry of Interior wrote a letter to the Minister of Interior demanding that “social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, etc. – be blocked across the province from 6 to 11 Muharram to control misinformation and hate material and prevent sectarian violence.”

Recognizing the challenges posed by hate content, Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani highlighted the escalation of tensions on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp during Muharram and stressed the need to maintain peace during Muharram.