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Pakistan reportedly blocks Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube amid protest crackdowns

The blocks follows a broader media blackout.

Jason Abbruzzese

on November 25, 2017

Pakistan reportedly blocks Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube amid protest crackdowns

Pakistani residents walk past a burning prison van torched by protesters from the Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLYRAP) religious group during clashes with police in Rawalpindi on November 25, 2017. Pakistan's government called on the powerful military to deploy in the capital Islamabad on November 25, after deadly unrest broke out when police moved to dislodge an Islamist protest that has brought the city to a near-standstill. At least one person was killed and and 190 injured -- some 137 of whom were security personnel -- when police moved in to disperse the demonstration earlier Saturday, sparking fierce clashes. / AFP PHOTO / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images) Credit: AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan has reportedly blocked Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter amid a broader crackdown on protests.

The blockages come after six people died and 200 others were injured after authorities attempted to clear Islamist protests from highways near the capital of Islamabad, according to the Associated Press.

Pakistan also instituted a media blackout, with many of its major TV stations going off the air.

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Twitter publicly confirmed that Pakistan had blocked its service. Facebook and YouTube have yet to make a public comment and did not immediately respond to media inquiries.

The block triggered a reaction on Twitter, with many journalists in the region drawing attention to Pakistan's actions. Some people reported being able to use services through Virtual Private Networks, which can work around regional blocks.

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Jason Abbruzzese

Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.