The Lahore High Court (LHC) issued notices to the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) and Advocate General of Punjab, seeking legal opinions on a petition calling for restrictions on social media access for children under 16.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the petition filed by Alaiya Saleem. The court reviewed responses submitted by the Federal Ministry of Law and Justice and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), with Deputy Attorney General Rafaqat Ali Dogar representing the federal government.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that Pakistan lacks a legal framework for verifying the age of social media users under 16 and alleged that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) failed to effectively enforce its code of conduct against objectionable content.

The petition also seeks amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to introduce an age-verification mechanism and stronger safeguards against indecent content and the depiction of alcohol in media. It cited restrictions in countries including Australia, Italy and Brazil as examples.

The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) also called for effective age verification and stronger legal safeguards for children online in a separate 17-page submission to the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The LHC has adjourned the matter; the AGP and Advocate General of Punjab are expected to provide their legal opinions at the next hearing.