A petition seeking to restrict social media access for children under 16 has been filed at Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court, described by the petitioners as the first case of its kind to reach the newly formed court.
The petition was filed at the FCC's Lahore registry by two lawyers, Sheraz Zaka and Moin Akhtar. Zaka identified himself as an activist behind the case, while Akhtar filed it as the father of a minor child. It asks the court to direct the federal government to amend the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and introduce a mandatory age-verification system for social media users under 16.
What the Petition Argues
The petitioners argue that Pakistani children are being exposed to cyberbullying, addictive platform design, sexualised content and the glorification of alcohol, all of which they say harm children's mental and moral development. They note that Pakistani law currently contains no specific age restriction or verification requirement for social media users under 16.
The petition separately asks the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to more strictly enforce its television code of conduct, alleging that some drama serials have depicted intimate scenes and alcohol consumption in slots accessible to children.
The petitioners cite Australia, Italy and Brazil as countries that have already imposed under-16 social media restrictions, arguing similar regulation is both feasible and necessary in Pakistan. They also point to Pakistan's wider education crisis, citing a figure of roughly 25 million out-of-school children, and argue the state's inaction violates constitutional guarantees on life, dignity, equality, education and family protection under Articles 9, 14, 25, 25-A and 35.
Part of a Wider Legal Push
This is not the only case addressing the issue right now. A separate petition on the same question is already before the Islamabad High Court, where Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar has sought responses from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and PEMRA. The Punjab Assembly also passed a resolution on September 1 calling for a legal ban on social media accounts for children, citing similar concerns.
The issue has surfaced in Pakistan's legislature before without result. A Senate bill proposing a similar restriction was withdrawn in August 2025, though senators have since revived the debate through a calling-attention notice.
What Would Actually Have to Change
Any enforceable restriction would require a functioning age-verification mechanism, something Pakistan does not currently have for any online platform. The petitioners have asked the PTA and NADRA to jointly develop such a system, though the specifics of how it would work, and how it would avoid creating new personal data risks, have not yet been addressed in detail before either court.
The FCC has not yet issued directions or scheduled a hearing date on the petition. Its response, along with how the parallel Islamabad High Court case develops, will determine whether this moves toward actual legislation or remains one of several similar attempts that have not resulted in a law so far.
