Resolution to ban all major social platforms including X, Instagram and YouTube lands in Senate

A resolution to have Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, X and YouTube banned in Pakistan to protect the young generation from their “negative and devastating effects” has landed in Senate and is on the house’s agenda to be debated upon during Monday’s session, it emerged today.

According to the agenda issued by the Senate secretariat, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the resolution will be moved by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, who was expelled by the PPP last month for remaining silent in a Senate session the month before when Independent Senator Dilawar Khan had moved a resolution for postponing general elections in KP and Balochistan.

PPP has cancelled his membership but has not moved a reference against him neither has asked him to resign. Senate secretariat’s record shows Tangi is still a Senator of PPP.

The resolution claims that the aforementioned digital platforms were being used for promotion of norms “against our religion and culture” and “creating hatred amongst the people on the grounds of language and religion”.

It noted that the use of such platforms to run “negative and malicious propaganda” against the armed forces was against the interests of the country.

“Such platforms were being used by vested interests for spreading fake news about various issues and trying to create and promote fake leadership in the country to hoodwink the young generation, the resolution said.

The resolution pushing for blanket ban on major social websites comes at a time when the country is already facing disruption to the service of X — the website formerly known as Twitter — in the face of severe backlash against the judiciary and establishment following the general elections on Feb 8.

PPP disowns Tangi’s resolution

The PPP distanced itself from Tangi’s resolution, adding that he should also stop using the party’s name.

According to a press release from the party quoting senior leader Nayyar Bukhari, the party said the PPP had no relation with Tangi anymore.

“Senator Bahramand Tangi was given a show cause notice for deviating from party policy,” Bukhari stated, adding that the senator had failed to explain himself to the party.

“Senator Tangi is retiring from the Senate on March 11,” he added.

Bukhari said, given that Tangi’s basic membership was terminated by the party, he should stop using the party’s name.