News Desk: The Islamabad High Court has sought responses from the federal government and key regulatory bodies on a petition seeking strict regulation of social media use by children under 16 in Pakistan.
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Sarfraz Dogar issued notices to the Ministry of IT, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The petition seeks legislation to introduce an effective age-verification mechanism for social media accounts of children under 16, along with safeguards against cyberbullying, online harassment, harmful content and other digital risks.
Citizen Waqas Nasir filed the petition, while Advocates Muhammad Jalal Haider and Yahya Fareed Khawaja appeared before the court on his behalf.
Petition Calls for New Social Media Rules for Children
The petitioner has urged the government to establish a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for child online protection in Pakistan. It also seeks the creation of a dedicated Social Media Protection and Regulatory Mechanism to protect minors from the harmful effects of social media.
Advocate Jalal Haider told the court that several countries are introducing age restrictions and safety measures for children’s social media use, describing the trend as part of growing international efforts to protect children in the digital environment.
He argued that safeguarding the best interests of children is a constitutional and legal responsibility of the state and urged Pakistan to introduce similar legislation.
IHC Asks Whether PEMRA Has Relevant Law
During the hearing, the court questioned whether PEMRA already had legislation specifically addressing the issue. Advocate Jalal Haider responded that PEMRA has powers to take action on complaints involving certain content, but no specific law has yet been enacted to regulate social media use by children or comprehensively protect them online.
The court then issued notices to all respondents and sought their replies. The IHC directed the law officer to ensure compliance with the notices and subsequently adjourned the hearing.
