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Punjab Assembly passes resolution calling for ban on social media for under-16s
The Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16, citing risks such as cyberbullying and online exploitation. The resolution, tabled by Child Protection Bureau chairperson Sarah Ahmad, recommends federal legislation and a coordinated mechanism to protect minors online.
By Tertius News AI Desk4 distinct · 4 mastheads · 4 articlesVersion 3Coverage Published
Punjab Assembly calls for social media ban for under-16s
The Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16 years of age, according to multiple reports. The resolution, tabled by lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who also chairs the Child Protection Bureau, was unanimously adopted by the House, with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also supporting the move, as reported by several outlets.
The resolution calls for comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions to protect children from what it describes as the growing dangers of the digital world. It warns that unrestricted access to social media exposes minors to a range of threats, including cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content and mental stress.
Federal legislation required
The proposed restriction would apply to children younger than 16 and would require federal legislation before it could become a nationwide legal measure. The Punjab Assembly has recommended that the federal government introduce appropriate legislation to restrict social media access for children below 16. The federal government holds legislative authority over telecommunications, internet regulation and digital platforms, according to one report.
The resolution also urges the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to establish a reliable age-verification mechanism for social media platforms, according to one report. Such a system would be intended to stop children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts and would give platforms and regulators a way to enforce any future age-based restrictions.
Lawmakers also called on social media companies to do more to protect minors from harmful material, with the resolution recommending that platforms take steps to prevent inappropriate content from reaching children and provide stronger safeguards for young users.
International context
The resolution points to regulatory measures in several countries, including Australia, France, China and the United States, and urges the government to introduce similar legal safeguards in Pakistan. It says Pakistan should develop its own legal framework for protecting children online while keeping pace with international efforts.
Australia and several European countries have recently moved towards tougher age-based restrictions on social media platforms, while other governments are considering stricter age-verification rules and stronger laws to protect children online, as reported by multiple outlets. The proposal comes amid growing global concern over children's online safety, with mounting evidence linking excessive online activity with mental health issues, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.
Additional resolution on religious education
In a separate matter, the House also adopted a resolution seeking equal religious education facilities and examination opportunities for prisoners belonging to minority communities, according to one report. The resolution, moved by Treasury member Raheela Khadim and adopted by majority vote, pointed out that under Rule 215 of the Punjab Prison Rules, 1978, prisoners could receive remission in their sentences for acquiring religious education in accordance with the law.
According to official data cited in the resolution, 2,558 Muslim prisoners benefited from the facility after obtaining religious education between 2020 and 2025. The resolution stressed the need for effective implementation of a similar system for minority prisoners, demanding that Christian, Hindu, Sikh and prisoners belonging to other minority faiths should be given equal opportunities to study their respective religious curricula, appear in examinations and receive sentence remission upon successfully completing religious education, as provided under the law.
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Framing: The headline emphasizes the Punjab Assembly's passage of a resolution to ban social media for those under 16.
Facts Included:
The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16 years of age.
The resolution was submitted to the Punjab Assembly in July by the chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau, Sarah Ahmad.
It called for effective legislation and a coordinated mechanism between federal and provincial institutions to protect minors from the growing dangers of social media.
The resolution noted that social media use was exposing children to cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content, mental stress and other serious risks.
It referred to measures introduced in Australia, France, China and several states of the United States to regulate social media use by underage children, and urged the government to introduce similar effective legal safeguards in Pakistan.
The proposal comes at a time when governments around the world are considering stricter regulation of children’s use of social media amid mounting evidence linking excessive online activity with mental health issues, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.
Several countries, including Australia, besides the EU have recently moved towards imposing age-based restrictions on access to social media platforms, while others are examining stronger age-verification requirements and enhanced child online safety laws.
If adopted by the Punjab Assembly,the resolution will serve as a recommendation to the federal government, which has legislative authority over telecommunications, internet regulation and digital platforms.
The House also adopted a resolution seeking equal religious education facilities and examination opportunities for prisoners belonging to minority communities.
The resolution, moved by Treasury member Raheela Khadim and adopted by majority vote, pointed out that under Rule 215 of the Punjab Prison Rules, 1978, prisoners could receive remission in their sentences for acquiring religious education in accordance with the law.
According to official data cited, 2,558 Muslim prisoners benefited from the facility after obtaining religious education between2020 and2025.
The resolution stressed the need for effective implementation of a similar system for minority prisoners.
It demanded that Christian, Hindu, Sikh and prisoners belonging to other minority faiths should be given equal opportunities to study their respective religious curricula, appear in examinations and receive sentence remission upon successfully completing religious education, as provided under the law.
Framing: The headline emphasizes Punjab pushing new rules for young social media users, focusing on the government's proactive legislative action.
Facts Included:
The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday urging the federal government to bar children under 16 from holding social media accounts
The move was led by government MPA Sarah Ahmed
The resolution calls for new legislation, stronger age verification and greater accountability from platforms
The resolution says the state has a responsibility to safeguard children’s physical, mental, psychological and moral development
Lawmakers said unrestricted access could expose young users to cyberbullying, sexual exploitation and inappropriate content
The proposed restriction would apply to children younger than 16 and would require federal legislation
The assembly urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to establish a reliable age-verification mechanism
Lawmakers called on social media companies to protect minors from harmful material
The resolution recommends platforms take steps to prevent inappropriate content from reaching children
The Punjab Assembly pointed to regulatory measures in Australia, France, China and the United States
The resolution said Pakistan should develop its own legal framework while keeping pace with international efforts
The assembly called for digital-awareness campaigns targeting children, parents and teachers
The campaigns would focus on responsible internet use and help families recognize risks
Lawmakers said protecting children online will require cooperation among government institutions, schools, families and social media companies
The measure does not immediately ban social media accounts for children under 16
It asks the federal government to introduce legislation that would establish such a restriction across Pakistan
Framing: The headline emphasizes the assembly's action seeking a ban on social media accounts for children under 16
Facts Included:
Pakistan's Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under the age of 16
The resolution was tabled on Tuesday by lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who is also the Chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau
According to the Punjab Assembly spokesperson, the House unanimously adopted the resolution, with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also supporting it
The provincial assembly has recommended that the federal government introduce appropriate legislation to restrict social media access for children below 16
The resolution called for comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions to protect children from the growing dangers of the digital world
The resolution said: 'Unrestricted access to social media is exposing minors to a range of threats, including cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content and mental stress'
It referred to measures adopted by Australia, France, China and several US states to regulate children's access to social media and urged the government to introduce similar legal safeguards in Pakistan
Australia and several European countries have recently moved towards tougher age-based restrictions on social media platforms
Framing: The headline emphasizes the Punjab Assembly's request for a social media ban for children under 16.
Facts Included:
Pakistan's Punjab Assembly passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16
The House unanimously adopted the resolution on Tuesday and recommended that the federal government bring in suitable legislation to restrict social media access for children below 16
The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also supported the move
The resolution was tabled by lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau
According to the Punjab Assembly spokesperson, it called for comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions
The resolution warned that unrestricted access to social media exposes minors to cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content and mental stress
It referenced steps taken by Australia, France, China and several US states to regulate children's access to social media
Australia and several European countries have recently moved towards stricter age-based curbs, while others are considering tougher age-verification rules
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimThe Punjab Assembly passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16.
ClaimThe resolution called for comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions to protect children from the growing dangers of the digital world.
ClaimThe resolution said: 'Unrestricted access to social media is exposing minors to a range of threats, including cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content and mental stress'.
ClaimIt referred to measures adopted by Australia, France, China and several US states to regulate children’s access to social media and urged the government to introduce similar legal safeguardsin Pakistan.
ClaimThe provincial assembly has recommended that the federal government introduce appropriate legislation to restrict social media access for children below 16.
ClaimSeveral studies increasingly examine links between excessive social media use, mental health problems, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.
ClaimAustralia and several European countries have recently moved towards tougher age-based restrictions on social media platforms, while other governments are considering stricter age-verification mechanisms and stronger laws to protect children online.
ClaimIt called for effective legislation and a coordinated mechanism between federal and provincial institutions to protect minors from the growing dangers of social media.
ClaimThe resolution noted that social media use was exposing children to cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content, mental stressand other serious risks.
ClaimIt referred to measures introducedin Australia, France, Chinaand several states of the United States to regulate social media use by underage children.
ClaimThe proposal comes at a time when governments around the world are considering stricter regulation of children’s use of social media amid mounting evidence linking excessive online activity with mental health issues, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.
ClaimSeveral countries, including Australia, besides the EU have recently moved towards imposing age-based restrictions on access to social media platforms, while others are examining stronger age-verification requirementsand enhanced child online safety laws.
ClaimIf adopted by the Punjab Assembly,the resolution will serve as a recommendation to the federal government, which has legislative authority over telecommunications, internet regulation and digital platforms.
ClaimThe House also adopted a resolution seeking equal religious education facilitiesand examination opportunities for prisoners belonging to minority communities.
ClaimThe resolution, moved by Treasury member Raheela Khadimand adopted by majority vote, pointed out that under Rule 215 of the Punjab Prison Rules, 1978, prisoners could receive remissionin their sentences for acquiring religious educationin accordance with the law.
ClaimIt demanded that Christian, Hindu, Sikh and prisoners belonging to other minority faiths should be given equal opportunities to study their respective religious curricula, appear in examinationsand receive sentence remission upon successfully completing religious education, as provided under the law.