The federal government has appointed Barrister Syed Azfar Ali Nasir as chairman of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority for a term of five years, according to an official notification issued on October 30. The appointment was made under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, the law that introduced a formal regulatory framework for social media platforms in Pakistan and created the authority that he will now lead.
Nasir brings experience from the provincial government. He served as a minister in the Punjab caretaker government led by Mohsin Naqvi in 2023, where he held the portfolios of Auqaf, Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr, and was also given responsibilities related to Housing and Urban Development. During his time in the caretaker cabinet he remained involved in development projects, including initiatives linked to urban infrastructure. His background is therefore mainly in administration and public policy, which will be relevant to a role that combines legal interpretation with decisions about how a new regulator should work with technology companies.
As chairman, Nasir will oversee the authority responsible for regulating social media platforms in Pakistan. The authority is empowered to issue compliance directions to platforms, address complaints from users and institutions, and take action against platforms that violate applicable laws. These functions place the chairman at the centre of the relationship between the state and the companies that operate large online services in the country, since decisions on how directions are issued, how complaints are handled, and how platforms are asked to respond will shape how the framework works in practice. Platform operators will be looking for clear procedures, reasonable timelines, and predictable communication from the regulator, while users and civil society groups will be watching how complaints are processed and how the authority uses its powers.
The appointment comes as Pakistan continues to implement its amended cybercrime legislation, and it marks a further step in setting up the institutions that the law envisaged. A regulator that has a full time chairman can begin to define its working rules, build its internal procedures, and engage with platforms on compliance, which had remained dependent on interim arrangements until now. Digital rights organisations have in the past raised questions about how regulatory powers over online content are applied and how freedom of expression is protected, so the way the new chairman approaches transparency, due process, and consultation with stakeholders is likely to be examined closely over the coming months as the authority begins to act under his leadership.
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