Pakistan Telecom Regulator Says Mandatory Age Checks Exceed Its Powers

Pakistan’s telecommunications regulator has told the Islamabad High Court that it lacks the legal authority to impose mandatory age verification or prohibit social media accounts for children under 16, responding to a petition seeking a national child-protection framework.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority set out its position in a report submitted to the court. Petitioner Waqas Nasir asked the federal government to introduce legislation regulating children’s social media use, citing risks including cyberbullying, online harassment and harmful content. The court sought responses from relevant ministries and authorities in August.

PTA acknowledged the importance of protecting children but argued that a universal minimum age for social media accounts falls outside its existing statutory mandate. It said an administrative decision by the regulator could not create a new age-verification regime without powers granted by law.

The regulator also described a transition under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025. It said the new Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority is intended to take over social-platform regulation, while PTA continues performing functions under the earlier framework until the new authority is officially notified.

PTA cited technical obstacles to content enforcement, including encrypted connections that complicate efforts to block individual material without disrupting wider access. It said its requests to platform operators are assessed under their community guidelines, which may differ from Pakistani legal requirements.

The submission also described child-safety awareness work with UNICEF, TikTok, Meta and the GSM Association. PTA asked the court to dismiss the petition insofar as it seeks action beyond the regulator’s statutory powers. Its response addresses which institution can impose an age threshold and what legislation such a regime would require.

Other jurisdictions are pursuing different legislative approaches. A New Zealand bill places age-assurance duties on social platforms serving users under 16, proposing obligations on designated high-risk services rather than relying solely on a telecommunications regulator’s administrative powers.

In Europe, the proposed EU Kids Act includes privacy-preserving age verification and restrictions linked to children’s ages. Both measures were put forward as legislative proposals. Pakistan’s current proceedings concern a petition for a new framework and PTA’s response about the limits of its present mandate.

Sources: Dawn

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team