X Is Blocked in Pakistan: Where Should Brands Put Their Social Effort Now?

Since 17 February 2024, X has been unavailable in Pakistan for most users without a VPN. The block was challenged in court, and in April the Sindh High Court directed the Interior Ministry to withdraw its order. At the time of writing, access is still restricted.

For news outlets, politicians and journalists, this is a major disruption. For most Pakistani brands, it’s a smaller problem, but it carries an important warning.

Does your brand need X?

Ask where your customers actually discover and buy from you. For fashion, beauty, food, home and lifestyle brands in Pakistan, the answer is almost always Instagram, Facebook and increasingly TikTok, with WhatsApp closing the sale. X has been more useful for B2B, tech, media and customer service.

If X was a minor channel for you, the practical move is simple: pause posting there, pin a note pointing to your other channels, and move that time into the platforms that drive sales.

Where to put the effort instead

• Instagram: Reels for reach, carousels for education, Stories for daily updates and offers. Still the main shop window for consumer brands.
• Facebook: Older audiences, community groups and the backbone of Meta advertising. Don’t neglect it just because it feels less trendy.
• TikTok: Huge reach with younger audiences in Pakistan. Short, native-looking videos and creator content work best.
• LinkedIn: If you sell to businesses, this is where X’s B2B conversations can move.
• WhatsApp: Business profiles, catalogs and broadcast lists for people who already know you.

The bigger lesson: rent less, own more

Every social platform is rented land. Algorithms change, accounts get restricted and platforms get blocked. Brands that survive these shocks have audiences they own:

1. An email list collected at checkout and through a sign-up offer.
2. A WhatsApp opt-in list for order updates and offers.
3. A website that ranks on Google and takes orders directly, not only through DMs.

If X disappearing didn’t hurt you, good. Now imagine Instagram having a bad week. Would your sales stop? If the answer is yes, that’s the gap to fix this quarter.