ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has cautioned major social media companies that they may face strict enforcement measures if they fail to follow national regulations, with officials drawing parallels to the stronger oversight model adopted in Brazil. State Minister for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik said the government is prepared to take firm steps against platforms that do not cooperate with lawful requests related to harmful or illegal online content.
Speaking in Islamabad, the minister expressed concern over what he described as inconsistent moderation practices. He noted that while some content is removed quickly, other material linked to extremism or terrorism remains online. Authorities have reportedly identified multiple foreign-based accounts suspected of spreading such content and are urging platforms to share technical details, including IP addresses, to support investigations.
The government has also renewed its call for social media companies to establish local offices in Pakistan. Officials argue that having an on-ground presence would improve coordination, speed up compliance with removal requests and enhance accountability in handling sensitive cases.
In addition, Pakistan is pressing platforms to deploy stronger artificial intelligence tools capable of automatically detecting and removing accounts involved in extremist activities. Officials questioned why automated systems efficiently remove certain types of illegal content but fail to act with similar speed against violent or anti-state material.
The warning comes amid broader government efforts to curb online propaganda and ensure that digital spaces are not used to promote violence or undermine national security.
