Pakistan has ramped up efforts to counter online extremism by urging international social media companies to take stronger action against terrorist content, while inviting them to establish local offices in the country, senior officials said Friday.
“We are building walls against terrorism, not silencing free speech,” said Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary, during a press briefing outlining Pakistan’s new digital security push.
He said Pakistan remains a “global bulwark in the fight against terrorism” and has detected hundreds of terrorism-linked accounts on platforms like Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).
According to the Ministry of Interior, groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) are actively using social media to spread propaganda and recruit youth.
The government said 2,417 complaints related to terrorist content are currently under review, and platforms must respond with urgency.
“Social media companies must use AI to swiftly remove terrorist content,” Chaudhary said.
Officials noted that the United Nations has banned ISKP and TTP, while the US and UK have designated BLA a terrorist organisation, adding weight to Pakistan’s demands.
Minister of Law Barrister Aqeel said promoting terrorist ideology is “a punishable offence under PECA (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act),” and warned that “offenders will face prosecution.”
The government has called on global platforms to block terrorist accounts, share IP data and user metadata with authorities and develop and implement automatic detection and blocking algorithms.
To facilitate cooperation, Islamabad invited foreign social media firms to establish offices in Pakistan and support efforts to counteract digital radicalisation.
“Pakistan urges international cooperation to counter digital terrorism threats,” Chaudhary said, adding that the country’s call aligns with global security efforts.