The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication has taken notice of the alleged non-cooperation of major social media platforms with Pakistan’s security and law enforcement agencies, summoning top officials for an urgent briefing.
According to an official notice issued by the Senate Secretariat, the committee will meet on April 30 at Parliament House to deliberate on a wide-ranging agenda, with particular focus on the refusal of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to share data required for criminal investigations.
The committee has called the Secretary Interior and the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to brief members on the challenges being faced in obtaining data from these platforms, which fall under Meta’s umbrella, and to outline a strategy for ensuring compliance with Pakistani laws.
Sources said the issue has gained urgency amid growing concerns that lack of cooperation from global tech companies is hampering efforts to combat cybercrime and ensure national security. Officials are expected to inform the committee about the legal, technical and diplomatic hurdles in accessing user data, particularly in cases involving criminal activities.
The meeting will also examine the apparent conflict between Meta’s community guidelines and Pakistan’s legal framework. Lawmakers are likely to question why these companies have yet to establish offices in Pakistan, a move officials believe could improve coordination and compliance.
In addition, the committee will be briefed on the future course of action to ensure timely access to data for security purposes, including possible regulatory or legislative measures.
Another key agenda item includes a briefing on the reported removal of a tweet by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) related to Israel. The committee is expected to seek a detailed explanation regarding the circumstances of the removal and the platform’s content moderation policies.
The session will also take up broader telecom and digital governance issues, but the spotlight is firmly on the growing friction between Pakistani authorities and global social media companies over data sharing and jurisdiction.
