Social Media In Pakistan Restricted: DXB Residents’ Families Use VPNs To Stay Connected

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Imran Khan

On Tuesday, Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan was arrested by force in front of the High Court in Islamabad and a video of the arrest immediately went viral.

In response, national protests and demonstrations are taking place across Pakistan, including its most populous cities Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and its capital Islamabad. Here in DXB, many residents with family in Pakistan are particularly concerned for their well-being and the future of the country. The government has restricted internet access in certain areas, but residents report that they’re staying in contact because their families are using VPNs.

The former PM was arrested outside of a courtroom and people are protesting the sheer force used to make the arrest

 

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Pakistani authorities on-site deployed tear gas and water cannons to scatter the protesting masses

Amidst the crisis, media companies were alerted to shut down telecomms on Tuesday

The local media claim that telecommunication companies received an order to shut down the internet nationwide to stabilize the situation in the country. Pakistani people reported their access to social media became unstable.

Global internet monitor Netblocks confirmed that access to widely used social media platforms including Twitter, and Facebook was restricted. Residents reported this only happened in certain areas in a government bid to deploy further protests.

Pakistani people make up 12% of the Dubai population and amid protests, communication has become unstable

Lovin Dubai spoke to some residents who report that they have maintained communication thanks to VPNs, following a call to shut down Telecoms nationwide.

Dubai resident comments on the protests: “We just sat yesterday watching the news as a family. We’re just concerned about the well-being of our future. We don’t know what’s going to be next.”

And others in the UAE Twitter are sharing their support for Khan on Twitter

This is an evolving story. Follow @LovinKarachi for more

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