PM constitutes committee to frame rules for regulating social media

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 31 March 2021

Prime Minister Imran Khan has established a committee to frame rules for social media regulation. Led by Dr. Shireen Mazari, the committee will consult various stakeholders.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Imran Khan has constituted a committee for framing comprehensive rules for handling social media.

Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr. Shireen Mazari, heads the committee. It comprises Maleeka Ali Bukhari (parliamentary secretary on law and justice), Senator Syed Ali Zafar, Secretary Ministry of Information Technology & Telecom, and chairperson Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (secretary).

A press release from the attorney-general’s office said that the petitioners had filed petitions in the Islamabad High Court and some other parties who expressed interest in deliberations of social media rules, namely ‘The Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards), Rules, 2020.’

After consultations with the petitioners and others, the attorney-general had recommended to the prime minister that further talks were required to frame comprehensive rules for regulating social media.

The release said that the Information Technology & Telecom Division would function as the committee’s secretariat. The committee will submit its report along with recommendations within 30 days.

Once the committee starts work, it will inform the public about the date and venue for consultations with all stakeholders, including petitioners who filed petitions in the Islamabad High Court.

Photo: Twitter (@ImranKhanPTI)

KEY POINTS:

• Committee headed by Dr. Shireen Mazari.
• Includes members from law, IT, and telecommunications sectors.
• Tasked with creating rules for social media management.
• Report due within 30 days of committee formation.
• Public consultations will be announced for stakeholder input.