Fact-check: Contrary to Punjab minister's claim, rules for social media do exist in Pakistan
Pakistan has had social media rules in place since 2021, although they are considered controversial
Updated Monday Aug 12 2024
Punjab’s minister for information has alleged that social media platforms are operating in Pakistan without any official rules and regulations.
The claim is false.
Claim
On August 2, during a media briefing outside the Lahore High Court (LHC), Azma Zahid Bokhari, Punjab’s minister for information, stated that the chief justice of the LHC had inquired about the regulations governing social media applications in Pakistan.
“There are rules and regulations [for social media] in every country,” Bokhari said, “But what is strange in our country is that there are no rules and regulations here. Anyone can post anything they want under the name of freedom of speech.”
She also suggested that the ongoing ban on X (formerly Twitter) would be lifted once regulations for online platforms were established.
Fact
The minister’s statement is inaccurate. Pakistan has had social media regulations in place since 2021, although they are considered controversial. Additionally, legislation governing online content has been in effect since 2016.
On October 12, 2021, Pakistan enacted the ‘Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules,’ which were established under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.
Contrary to the minister’s claim that there are no restrictions and anyone in Pakistan can post anything they want on the internet, Section 37 of PECA, which is also mentioned in the 2021 rules, addresses “unlawful” online content and stipulates the removal and blocking of content that contravenes the “glory of Islam,” “security of Pakistan,” “public order,” “decency and morality,” and the “integrity or defence of Pakistan.”
It is important to also mention here that digital rights experts have criticized the 2021 social media rules for conflicting with fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and access to information. In June 2022, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) also directed the federal government to review and revise the online rules to align them with constitutional rights.
The IHC order can be viewed here.
Despite this, the 2021 rules remain unchanged.
“What is happening right now is that under these rules unconstitutional requests for censorship are being sent by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to social media companies,” Usama Khilji, the director of Bolo Bhi, an advocacy forum for digital rights in Pakistan, told Geo Fact Check over the phone, “I think this where the problem for the government lies. They want social media companies to comply with their every request, which is not possible” as some of these requests violate international human rights law.
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