Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly seeks social media ban for children under 16

Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution seeking an effective legal ban on social media accounts for children under the age of 16, amid growing concerns over cyberbullying, online exploitation and the harmful effects of excessive screen time on minors.

The resolution was tabled on Tuesday by lawmaker Sarah Ahmad, who is also the chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau.

According to the Punjab Assembly spokesperson, the



House unanimously adopted the resolution, with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also supporting it. The provincial assembly recommended that the federal government introduce appropriate legislation to restrict social media access for children below the age of 16.

The resolution called for comprehensive legislation and a coordinated mechanism involving federal and provincial institutions to protect children from the growing dangers of the digital world.