The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed authorities to enforce laws aimed at curbing online harassment, blackmail and the sharing of private material without permission. The court has also asked for a detailed report on how those laws are being applied. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued the written order, which names the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) as bodies that must submit the report.
Ministries asked to review enforcement and coordination
The court instructed the Ministry of Information Technology, Pemra, the PTA, the NCCIA and other relevant ministries and departments to hold a meeting to review the existing legal framework. Authorities were also asked to identify legal, administrative and technical barriers that stand in the way of enforcement. They must explain what steps have already been taken, or are planned, to overcome those barriers.
Officials were further told to point out where departments need stronger coordination. They must also provide details of the measures in place to prevent online harassment, blackmail and the sharing of private content.
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PTA figures on blocked content across platforms
The written order incorporates a PTA report on the blocking of unlawful material on social media. According to that report, the compliance rate for requests to block content related to Pakistan’s defence and security was 59.1 per cent. Requests concerning terrorism-related content were complied with at a rate of 79.51 per cent.
The PTA also reported that 76.54 per cent of content classified as against the sanctity of Islam was blocked. The rate for decency and morality content was 98.91 per cent, while sectarian and hate speech content was blocked at 64.43 per cent.
Platform-level blocking rates, according to the PTA, were as follows:
- X, formerly Twitter: 48.42 per cent
- Facebook: 78.57 per cent
- Instagram: 79.52 per cent
- YouTube: 87.34 per cent
- TikTok: 88.68 per cent
Platforms’ lack of response and questions over enforcement powers
The order said social media companies had been asked to complete registration with the PTA and appoint local-level officers to handle complaints. It added that no positive response had been received. The PTA said social media operators frequently refuse requests to remove content.
The court noted that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act provides for a Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority with wide powers to remove or block unlawful content. It questioned whether the competent authorities were using the legal powers available to them. The court also stressed the need to assess how well Pemra, the PTA and the NCCIA coordinate in enforcing the framework governing digital content.
