Social media compliance in Pakistan is at a critical low, with major platforms ignoring more than three-quarters of the government’s requests to remove extremist and harmful content. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told the National Assembly on 28 October 2026 that the country’s fight against online extremism is being held back not just by uncooperative platforms, but also by its own shortage of trained staff, digital tools, and a unified monitoring system.
What the Numbers Actually Say
In a written reply to the National Assembly, Naqvi said social media companies complied with 23.7 percent of requests submitted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and 47.1 percent of requests made by Counter-Terrorism Departments (CTDs).
In plain terms: for every 100 pieces of content the PTA flagged and asked to have removed, platforms deleted or blocked fewer than 24. Even when Pakistan’s own counter-terrorism police made the request, more than half were still ignored.
Platform-wise data showed that X complied with 7.4 percent of requests, YouTube with 1.9 percent, and Facebook with 38 percent. YouTube’s rate of under 2 percent is especially striking, the platform is one of the most widely used in Pakistan, yet it acted on almost none of the removal requests it received from Pakistani authorities.
Why Platforms Keep Saying No
The low rates are not a surprise to anyone who has followed this issue closely. Social media companies are neither registered in Pakistan nor bound by local laws, and technical limitations remain an obstacle. Without a physical presence in the country, there is no legal mechanism to force them to act.
The PTA had approached major platforms to register under the Social Media Rules of 2021. However, these companies have not set up local offices due to concerns about potential criminal liability for employees, a lack of regulatory clarity, and broader business considerations.
Pakistan has tried the diplomatic route too. In August 2026, Pakistan urged Google to proactively monitor social media for militant propaganda and harmful content, saying extremist groups were using online platforms to spread fear. That appeal, like many before it, produced no measurable change in compliance figures.
Pakistan’s Own Gaps Are Just as Serious
The government’s written reply did not only point fingers at platforms. It admitted several serious problems on its own side.
The ministry acknowledged that Pakistan has no organised and integrated system at the federal and provincial levels to address online threats. It also cited a shortage of trained analysts in relevant institutions and open-source intelligence cells. Security and intelligence agencies cannot maintain round-the-clock surveillance.
The money problem is just as real. The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) requested more than Rs2.98 billion for the 2026-27 financial year, but only Rs1.33 billion has been released for the current year. That is less than half the funding NACTA asked for, a gap that directly limits the number of analysts, tools, and operations it can run.
The Punjab Factor
One detail that most coverage has skipped is where the bulk of content-removal requests actually come from. The written response identified Punjab as the source of the highest number of requests concerning online content directed against the state or the government, with requests from the Punjab government accounting for 97.7% of the total in that category. This suggests the pressure to act on anti-state content is being driven almost entirely by one province, raising questions about whether this is a national security priority or a more localised political one.
Militants Are Moving Fast Online
The stakes are high. The assessment comes as militant groups expand their propaganda and recruitment activities. The Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies reported this month that the Pakistani Taliban intensified both propaganda and recruitment during July to September 2026, using media productions to project influence beyond its traditional strongholds.
Every week that platforms do not act on removal requests is another week that recruitment videos, financing appeals, and radicalisation material stay online and reach Pakistani users.
Courts Are Also Watching
The National Assembly reply came just two days after a related move in the judiciary. The Islamabad High Court directed the PTA, PEMRA, and NCCIA to submit details of the steps taken to implement the relevant legal provisions on unlawful online content. For more on that court order, see our earlier report on how the IHC ordered PTA and PEMRA to enforce online content laws.
A Difficult Balance
Pakistan has expanded its powers to regulate online content through amendments to its cybercrime law. Rights organizations have warned that broadly worded provisions could also be used against journalists and government critics, highlighting the distinction between combating violent extremism and restricting legitimate expression.
This tension is real. A system powerful enough to force platforms to remove extremist content at scale is also powerful enough to silence legitimate criticism. Getting that balance right is one of the hardest problems in digital policy anywhere in the world, and Pakistan is no exception.
What Needs to Happen Next
Based on the minister’s own statement and the data, three things stand out as urgent. First, NACTA needs its full requested budget so it can hire enough analysts to actually identify and report harmful content at scale. Second, Pakistan needs a clear, enforceable legal framework that gives it real leverage over platforms that have no local office. Third, the government must show that its content-removal requests are focused on genuine security threats, not political criticism, or platforms will continue to push back.
Until social media compliance in Pakistan improves on both sides of the equation, the online extremism problem will keep outpacing the response.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pakistan’s current social media compliance rate?
Social media companies are removing only a small proportion of content flagged by Pakistan’s authorities, with their overall compliance rate for requests submitted by the PTA standing at 23.7%. For counter-terrorism requests from provincial CTDs, the rate is higher at 47.1%.
Which platform has the worst compliance rate with Pakistan’s requests?
Facebook recorded the highest compliance rate among the platforms listed, at 38.1%. X complied with only 7.4% of requests, while YouTube’s compliance rate stood at 1.9%. YouTube’s near-zero rate is the most striking given how widely the platform is used in Pakistan.
Why can Pakistan not force social media platforms to comply?
The PTA has approached major platforms to register under the Social Media Rules of 2021. However, these companies have not set up local offices due to concerns about potential criminal liability for employees, a lack of regulatory clarity, and broader business considerations. Without a local presence, enforcement options are very limited.
What is NACTA and why is its funding important?
NACTA is Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority. It coordinates counter-extremism work across government. NACTA had requested more than Rs2.98 billion for the 2026-27 financial year. However, only Rs1.33 billion had been released to the authority for the current year. That shortfall directly limits how many analysts and digital tools it can deploy to track and report online extremist content. For context on Pakistan’s broader push for digital governance, see our piece on Pakistan’s 10 digital government services upgrade.