The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under 16 years of age. This move positions Pakistan’s largest province alongside a growing global effort to shield minors from the mounting risks of online platforms.
The resolution was originally 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 associated with social media use across the country.
According to the resolution, social media exposure was placing children at serious risk. It noted that these platforms were exposing children to cyberbullying, online sexual exploitation, inappropriate content, mental stress, and other significant dangers. Because these harms disproportionately affect younger users, the resolution framed early intervention as essential to safeguarding Pakistani children.
The proposal drew directly on international precedent. It referred to measures introduced in Australia, France, China, and several states of the United States to regulate social media use by underage children. Consequently, the resolution urged the government to introduce similar effective legal safeguards within Pakistan’s own regulatory framework.
The timing reflects a broader global shift toward stricter oversight. Governments worldwide are increasingly considering tighter regulation of children’s social media use amid mounting evidence linking excessive online activity with mental health issues, cyber abuse, and exposure to harmful content. Several countries, including Australia and members of the EU, have recently moved toward imposing age-based restrictions, while others examine stronger age-verification requirements.
However, the resolution carries limited direct authority on its own. If formally adopted, it will serve only as a recommendation to the federal government, which holds legislative authority over telecommunications, internet regulation, and digital platforms across Pakistan.
Separately, the House also adopted a resolution seeking equal religious education facilities and examination opportunities for prisoners belonging to minority communities. Moved by Treasury member Raheela Khadim, the resolution noted that 2,558 Muslim prisoners benefited from sentence remission through religious education between 2020 and 2025. It demanded that Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and other minority prisoners receive equal opportunities to study their respective religious curricula and earn similar remission.
