LAHORE: A petition has been filed before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), seeking directions to shield children under 16 from unrestricted social media use and indecent content on television and other platforms.

Two lawyers, Sheraz Zaka and Moin Akhtar, filed the petition at the Lahore registry, with the former identifying himself as an activist and the latter as the father of a minor child.

The petitioners argue that Pakistani children are being exposed to cyber bullying, addictive platform design, sexualised content and the glorification of alcohol — all of which they say harm children’s mental and moral development.

They claim that no Pakistani law currently mandates age verification for social media access, noting that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016, contains no specific restriction for users under 16.

Citing examples of Australia, Italy, and Brazil as countries that have already imposed under-16 social media bans, the petitioners argue that such regulation is both feasible and necessary.

Plea claims no law mandates age verification for social media access

They allege that the Pemra failed to enforce its own code of conduct, allowing dramas and advertisements containing intimate scenes and alcohol depictions to air during hours when children are likely watching.

The petitioners also refer to Pakistan’s broader education crisis, citing figures that roughly 25 million children in the country are out of school — reportedly the highest number of out-of-school children anywhere in the world.

The petitioners assert that the government’s failure to act violates articles 9, 14, 25, 25-A and 35 of the Constitution, which guard the rights to life, dignity, equality, education and family protection. They also invoke the Convention on the Rights of the Child and a prior Lahore High Court ruling (PLD 2020 Lahore 137) that directed the state to legislate on human rights and social issues.

The lawyers ask the FFC to direct the federal government to amend Peca 2016 to restrict social media access for under-16s with an age-verification mechanism, and and order to the Pemra to strictly enforce content standards during child-viewing hours.

They also seek a direction to the government for coordination with social media platforms on parental controls and action on out-of-school children and dropout rates.

The petitioners describe it as the first such petition filed in the country on the issue.

The federal government through the ministry of law and justice, the ministry of information technology, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, the Pemra and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority have been listed as respondents in the petition.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2026