Pakistan Urges Social Media Crackdown on Terrorism

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ISLAMABAD – The Pakistani government has called on social media platforms to intensify efforts against “digital terrorism” by immediately removing terrorist content through artificial intelligence and strengthening global cooperation, including real-time data sharing.

At a joint press conference held in Islamabad, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik outlined the urgent need for coordinated action against the misuse of digital platforms by terrorist groups.

“The objective is not to suppress freedom of speech but to erect a digital barrier against extremist ideologies,” Chaudhry stated. He urged social media companies to work with Pakistani authorities to remove extremist content, shut down accounts spreading hate, and prevent the re-emergence of blocked accounts through mirror profiles.

Chaudhry revealed that over 2,400 terrorism-related complaints on social media are currently under investigation. He noted that several terrorist organizations including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) are actively spreading propaganda and recruiting youth online.

Earlier in the week, Chaudhry disclosed that a terrorist network was using WhatsApp channels to circulate hate content and destabilizing narratives. He stressed the importance of global tech companies sharing user information with national security agencies to counter these threats effectively.

Echoing his remarks, Barrister Aqeel Malik emphasized that such digital activities fall under the ambit of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). “Terrorist propaganda and online recruitment are punishable crimes. We have formally demanded automatic detection and blocking of extremist content, account suspensions, and access to user data from all relevant platforms,” Malik said.

Both ministers reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms, including its digital manifestations, and called on international partners and tech companies to contribute proactively.

The government’s renewed focus on digital counter-terrorism comes amid rising concerns about the use of encrypted apps and social media channels for recruitment and radicalization efforts.