ISLAMABAD – July 26, 2025:
Pakistan’s government on Friday called for an urgent and coordinated international response to what it described as “digital terrorism,” urging tech and social media companies to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to detect and remove extremist content swiftly from their platforms.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Islamabad alongside State Minister for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the objective was not to curtail free speech, but to stem the growing misuse of digital platforms by terrorist outfits to spread propaganda, hatred, and misinformation.
“We are not here to suppress voices. But when terrorism hides behind digital freedom, it becomes essential to draw a firm line,” Chaudhry stated.
He urged social media operators to proactively assist Pakistani authorities in tracking and disabling accounts involved in extremist activity, including stopping the creation of mirror accounts and providing user data where necessary.
Chaudhry also referred to a recent intelligence revelation about how a banned terrorist organization had been using WhatsApp Channels to circulate hateful content and radical narratives — an alarming trend that has raised concerns within the country’s security apparatus.
According to the minister, over 2,400 complaints linked to terrorism-related digital content are currently under scrutiny. He specifically named groups such as the TTP, IS-K, BLA, and BLF, accusing them of running coordinated online campaigns to recruit youth and destabilize the country.
“Pakistan has always stood firm in the fight against terrorism,” he said. “But this fight is evolving. These groups are exploiting the open space of social media to regroup and influence vulnerable minds.”
Echoing the concern, Law Minister Aqeel Malik stressed that such digital activities fall under punishable offenses defined in Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
He said the government has formally requested platforms to block terrorist-linked content automatically and provide backend access to data that could help security agencies take action.
“This is not just Pakistan’s issue anymore,” Malik said. “Digital terrorism knows no borders. If social media companies can collaborate to monetize global trends, they must also collaborate to neutralize global threats.”
