Background:
The attempts to suspend Imran Khan’s X (formerly Twitter) account are part of a broader pattern of legal and administrative actions targeting the former Prime Minister since his removal from office. Various government institutions and petitioners have cited multiple cases including the Toshakhana, cipher, and iddat verdicts as grounds to limit his public communication. Over the years, the government has sought to control the narrative and restrict Khan’s outreach to his supporters on digital platforms, raising concerns about freedom of expression, political censorship, and the use of state power to influence social media activity. Despite repeated requests, global platforms like X have largely resisted compliance, highlighting the tension between domestic political pressures and international digital governance.

Latest Revelations:
New disclosures show that the government has been attempting for the past three and a half years to have Imran Khan’s X account suspended. According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the first request was sent to X on 21 August 2022, seeking the closure of Imran Khan’s account, but no positive response was received.

A second request was made on 18 April 2024, citing cases related to Toshakhana, the cipher, and the iddat verdicts; however, X again did not comply. Later, on 27 November 2025, authorities sent requests to block the URLs of 46 tweets. X rejected the requests for all 46 tweets, blocking only one tweet by Imran Khan.

These revelations raise serious questions about the government’s efforts to curb political speech and the limits of state influence over global digital platforms. Observers say the episode highlights the ongoing struggle between domestic political control and the autonomy of international social media services.