ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Meta have organized a high-level workshop, titled “Counter-Terrorism in the Digital Age,” the PTA said on Tuesday, aiming to ensure safe use on online spaces.
The event brought together experts from Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp along with representatives from key Pakistani government institutions and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).
The workshop focused on Meta’s evolving policies for tackling militancy-related content and enhancing cooperation between digital platforms, LEAs and regulators, according to the PTA.
“Collaboration with global platforms like Meta is vital to prevent the misuse of online spaces by extremist elements,” PTA Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman said, reaffirming the PTA’s commitment to building a safer digital environment.
The development comes amid a surge in militancy in Pakistan’s western regions by religiously motivated groups like the Pakistani Taliban and Daesh as well as ethno-nationalist Baloch separatist groups.
Pakistani officials have in the past said that these militant groups also used social media platforms to “brainwash” and “recruit” people, including women, in their ranks to carry out attacks. Militant attacks in Pakistan more than doubled from 517 in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024.
Tuesday’s workshop was part of the PTA’s broader strategy to promote responsible online behavior and enhance national digital resilience, at which the participants discussed various mechanisms for complaint handling and content escalation, and engaged with Meta’s policy specialists on various topics.
“Joint efforts like this are key to creating safer digital spaces while upholding community standards and fundamental rights,” Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals (DOI) Policy lead Dr. Nawab Osman said.
