A detailed report on the government’s actions against unlawful online content in 2025 has been presented before Parliament, outlining the scale of enforcement carried out across digital platforms. Officials highlighted the growing spread of inappropriate and unlawful material on social media, prompting authorities to intensify monitoring and regulatory actions. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication confirmed that multiple institutions are coordinating efforts to address such content, particularly on widely used platforms including TikTok, through a structured and legally backed approach.
Data shared in the report shows that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority carried out extensive enforcement throughout the year, removing more than 1.5 million unlawful URLs through a combination of proactive monitoring and public complaints. In addition to this, the authority blocked approximately 6.5 million domains identified as hosting inappropriate content, using its Web Management System to implement large scale restrictions. Authorities also took action against specific categories of violations, including 426 URLs linked to offenses against personal modesty and 1,695 URLs associated with content considered harmful to human dignity, reflecting a targeted as well as broad based regulatory effort.
The report further detailed actions taken against content related to religious sensitivity, where authorities received 435 public complaints that led to 98 formal enquiries. Law enforcement agencies subsequently registered 42 cases and detained 73 individuals in connection with these investigations. The legal process resulted in three convictions and one acquittal, indicating ongoing judicial proceedings in such matters. Separately, National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency blocked more than 600 additional URLs identified under similar concerns, demonstrating inter agency coordination in addressing online violations.
Officials stated that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority continues to operate under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, applying a hybrid regulatory model that combines complaint based mechanisms, proactive monitoring, government coordination and awareness initiatives. The authority has also established direct reporting channels with major social media platforms and conducts regular consultations to ensure compliance with local laws. At the same time, the rapidly increasing volume of online content remains a significant challenge, requiring continuous upgrades in technical capacity and regulatory frameworks to effectively manage the evolving digital environment in Pakistan.
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