A constitutional petition has been filed before the Islamabad High Court seeking a ban on social media use by children below the age of 16, calling for a comprehensive legal framework to protect minors from the risks of the digital environment.
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The petition was filed by Waqas Nasir through Advocate Yahya Farid Khawaja and Advocate Jalal Haider Malik, naming the Federal Government, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), and other relevant authorities as respondents.
The petition seeks the introduction of an effective age-verification mechanism to prevent children under 16 from creating or operating social media accounts.
It also calls for legislation to shield minors from cyberbullying, online harassment, exploitation, and other harmful content circulating on digital platforms.
READ: Illegal content on social media, digital media could result in jail, warns PTA
Beyond age verification, the petitioner has requested a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework that includes parental controls and clearly defined responsibilities for social media platforms operating in Pakistan.
To support the case, the petition draws on laws and regulatory initiatives already adopted in Australia, France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, and other European countries, arguing that Pakistan should follow similar global best practices to safeguard children online.
It also invokes the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25, which addresses children’s rights in the digital environment.
The petitioner has argued that protecting the best interests, privacy, safety, and digital rights of children is a constitutional and legal responsibility of the State, and that the continued absence of such protections leaves minors exposed to preventable harm.
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The Islamabad High Court has been requested to direct the Federal Government, the PTA, PEMRA, and other concerned authorities to introduce appropriate legislation and establish a dedicated regulatory mechanism for child online safety in Pakistan.
