Pakistan moves to tighten social media regulations, combat cybercrime

Pakistan government on Tuesday introduced the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) Amendment Bill 2025 in the National Assembly, proposing sweeping changes to regulate social media and combat cybercrime.

The centerpiece of the amendments is the creation of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), an independent body tasked with facilitating, regulating, and ensuring the rights of social media users. The authority will be headquartered in Islamabad, with regional offices in provincial capitals.

How SMPRA will work?

According to the bill, the SMPRA will oversee the registration of social media platforms and will have the power to cancel registrations and take punitive actions against platforms violating Peca provisions.

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The authority can also direct relevant institutions to remove illegal content from social media and block it immediately upon instruction from its chairman. “The SMPRA will ensure that social media platforms operate within legal parameters while safeguarding users’ rights,” the bill stated.

Proposed amendments

Under the proposed amendments, any material opposing the ideology of Pakistan, encouraging illegal activities, or targeting state institutions, including the armed forces, parliament, or provincial assemblies, will be subject to removal. Content previously expunged from parliamentary proceedings or issued by banned organizations or individuals will also be prohibited from being uploaded.

The bill proposes the establishment of a Social Media Complaints Council comprising five members and one ex-officio member to address grievances. Additionally, the federal government plans to set up a Social Media Protection Tribunal to enforce the amended law. The tribunal, led by a former high court judge, will include a journalist and a software engineer among its members.

Decisions by the tribunal can be challenged in the Supreme Court within 60 days. Non-compliance by social media platforms with SMPRA directives may result in the tribunal's intervention.

The bill also proposes harsh penalties for spreading fake news, including up to three years in prison or fines of up to PKR 2 million.

NCIA to replace FIA cybercrime wing

To investigate illegal online activities, the government intends to establish a National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCIA), replacing the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing. The NCIA will be headed by a director general appointed for three years, and its officers will have powers equivalent to police officers.

The SMPRA will have nine members, including the interior secretary, chairpersons of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) as ex-officio members.

Other members will include a journalist, a software engineer, a lawyer, an IT expert, and a social media professional with at least 10 years of experience. The chairman will require a bachelor's degree and at least 15 years of experience in a relevant field.

The chairman and five other members will serve five-year terms and are prohibited from engaging in other business activities.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has referred the bill to the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Interior for further consideration.