The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has issued notices to the federal government and other respondents, directing them to appear before a three-member bench on November 6 in connection with a petition seeking restrictions on children’s access to social media.
The bench will be headed by Justice Aamer Farooq and will include Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Syed Arshad Hussain Shah.
Earlier, Justice Farooq, during an in-chamber hearing, set aside a registrar office decision that had declared the petition non-maintainable. The judge accepted an appeal and directed the registrar’s office to schedule a hearing on the petition filed by two Supreme Court lawyers, Sheraz Zaka and Moin Akhtar.
The petitioners argue that children in Pakistan are increasingly exposed to cyberbullying, addictive platform designs, sexualised content and the glorification of alcohol, which they say negatively affect their mental and moral development.
They maintain that no existing Pakistani law requires age verification for social media users. The petition also points out that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, does not contain specific restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 16.
Referring to countries including Australia, Italy and Brazil, where restrictions on social media access for under-16s have been introduced, the petitioners argue that similar regulations are both practical and necessary in Pakistan.
The petition further alleges that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has failed to properly enforce its code of conduct, allowing television dramas and advertisements featuring intimate scenes and depictions of alcohol to be broadcast during hours when children are likely to be watching.
The petition seeks directions for the federal government to amend PECA 2016 to restrict social media access for children under 16 through an effective age-verification mechanism.
It also asks the court to direct Pemra to ensure strict enforcement of content standards during children’s viewing hours. Additionally, the petition calls for greater coordination between the government and social media platforms to strengthen parental controls, alongside measures addressing out-of-school children and s
