ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has requested cooperation from social media platforms to block and remove accounts linked to militant groups, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Friday, urging global action and the use of artificial intelligence to support these efforts.
Chaudhry’s statement comes amid growing concerns in Islamabad over the online presence and influence of militant networks, including the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Daesh, which are increasingly using digital platforms to recruit, fundraise and spread propaganda.
Pakistan has intensified efforts to curb militancy on social media by strengthening digital surveillance, enforcing cybercrime laws and engaging with major tech platforms.
The country’s primary legislation in the area is the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, which explicitly criminalizes online recruitment, funding and planning by militant groups.
“I want to once again request for the social media operators and social media platforms to cooperate with us on the blockage and removal of accounts, taking AI measures to stop mirroring accounts and to share info of account holders who are operating these accounts,” the minister said while addressing a news conference.
He highlighted how Pakistan was fighting a war against militancy for two decades.
“And Pakistan is a wall between terrorists and the world,” he added. “If this wall becomes weak the fire will not stop on our borders.”
Chaudhry lamented that around 40 international militant groups were operating out of Afghanistan, adding they had access to weapons and ammunition worth millions of dollars left behind by US forces following their withdrawal in 2021.
He said all of these militant organizations had been sanctioned by the US, the United Kingdom and Pakistan.
“We want to block and remove the account,” Chaudhry added. “Second is to use AI measures to stop mirror accounts and thirdly and most importantly is to share information of these account holders because they are also part of terrorist organizations and are terrorists.”
The government has also urged platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube to comply with local regulations and promptly remove flagged content promoting militancy.
In May 2024, Pakistan established the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the mandate of PECA, tasked with probing offenses such as terrorism-related cyber activities, misinformation, hacking and other forms of digital crime.
