LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution calling for restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 16 and urging effective legislation to ensure their safety in the digital environment.
The resolution was presented by Punjab Child Protection Bureau Chairperson and MPA Sarah Ahmed. It called for legislation aimed at securing a safe digital future for children under 16.
The resolution recommended measures to protect children from cyber harassment, online sexual exploitation and inappropriate content.
It also called for effective age-verification mechanisms on social media platforms to prevent underage users from accessing restricted services.
The assembly urged social media companies to comply with child protection standards and recommended establishing a coordinated mechanism among federal and provincial institutions to strengthen online protection for children.
Sarah Ahmed said every child should be provided with a safe childhood and a secure digital future. She said an effective regulatory framework was essential to protect children online in Pakistan.
She added that protecting children and ensuring a safe digital environment were among the Punjab government’s priorities, stressing that safeguarding the best interests of children was a fundamental responsibility of the state.
