The resolution was submitted to the Punjab Assembly in July by Child Protection Bureau Chairperson Sarah Ahmad. It called for effective legislation and a coordinated mechanism between federal and provincial institutions to safeguard children from the growing risks associated with social media use.
The resolution highlighted several threats faced by minors online, including cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, exposure to inappropriate content and mental health concerns.
It cited regulatory measures adopted by Australia, France, China and several US states to restrict social media access for children, urging the government to introduce similar legal safeguards in Pakistan.
The move comes amid growing international efforts to regulate children’s access to social media, as concerns increase over the impact of excessive online activity on mental health, cyber abuse and exposure to harmful content.
Several countries, including Australia and members of the European Union, have recently moved towards age-based restrictions on social media use, while others are considering stricter age-verification systems and enhanced online safety measures for children.
If adopted, the resolution would serve as a recommendation to the federal government, which has jurisdiction over telecommunications, internet regulation and digital platforms.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly also adopted a resolution calling for equal opportunities in religious education and examinations for prisoners belonging to minority communities.
The resolution, moved by Treasury member Raheela Khadim and approved by a majority vote, noted that Rule 215 of the Punjab Prison Rules, 1978 allows prisoners to receive sentence remission for obtaining religious education in accordance with the law.
According to official data cited in the resolution, 2,558 Muslim prisoners benefited from the facility after completing religious education between 2020 and 2025.
The resolution called for the effective implementation of a similar mechanism for prisoners from minority communities.
It demanded that Christian, Hindu, Sikh and other minority prisoners be provided equal opportunities to study their respective religious curricula, sit examinations and qualify for sentence remission after successfully completing their religious education, as provided under the law.
