Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar issues notices to federal ministries, PTA and PEMRA as court examines plea seeking stronger safeguards for children online.
Image: Reuters
The Islamabad High Court has sought responses from the federal government and regulatory authorities on a petition seeking restrictions on social media use by children under 16. Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar heard the plea and issued notices to the Ministry of IT, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law, PTA and PEMRA.
The petitioner has called for an effective age-verification system and a comprehensive legal framework to protect children from cyberbullying, online harassment and harmful digital content. The court also asked PEMRA whether any existing law specifically regulates children’s use of social media.
The plea also seeks stronger parental controls and a dedicated mechanism for protecting children’s digital rights, privacy and wellbeing, with the petitioner pointing to similar safeguards adopted or proposed in several countries.
