A resolution has been submitted in the Punjab Assembly seeking restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 16, marking the first proposal of its kind at any provincial or federal legislature in Pakistan. The resolution, moved by Punjab Assembly member and Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Chairperson Sarah Ahmed, calls on the federal government to impose an effective legal restriction on social media accounts for children under 16, along with introducing a reliable age verification system to prevent underage users from creating or operating accounts.
The resolution recommends that the federal government direct Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to establish a comprehensive regulatory and monitoring framework enforcing these age restrictions, including requiring parental consent and active supervision for minors who are permitted access, and directing platforms to strengthen safeguards against harmful content and online exploitation. It also calls for nationwide digital awareness campaigns targeting parents and educators, and separately proposes restrictions on the photography and videography of children under 16.
Sarah Ahmed said the protection of children’s physical, mental, psychological, and moral development is both a constitutional and moral responsibility of the state, arguing that unrestricted access to social media has exposed minors to cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content, psychological distress, and digital addiction. The resolution points to a growing international trend, citing measures already taken in Australia, France, China, the United Kingdom, and several US states to restrict or regulate minors’ access to social media platforms.
Since telecommunications and online platform regulation fall under federal rather than provincial jurisdiction, the resolution does not itself create a binding law. If adopted by the Punjab Assembly, it would represent the formal opinion of the provincial legislature and serve as a recommendation urging Pakistan’s federal parliament to introduce comprehensive legislation on the issue, rather than an enforceable restriction in its own right. Pakistan currently has no law setting a minimum age for social media use.
The proposal arrives as governments worldwide continue tightening rules around children’s online access amid growing evidence linking excessive social media use to mental health concerns, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful content. With no existing minimum age framework in Pakistan and regulatory authority resting with the federal government, the resolution’s fate will depend on whether it can translate provincial political momentum into actual legislation passed by parliament, a process that would likely require sustained coordination between the Punjab government, the federal IT ministry, and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to implement any eventual age verification requirements.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
