State Must Protect Children Online, NCRC Says
Pakistan’s National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) told the Islamabad High Court that protecting minors from online grooming and exploitation is the state’s responsibility.
The commission submitted a 17‑page response in a case about social media use by children under 16, urging the court to adopt age verification mechanisms and a comprehensive regulatory framework.
It recommended boosting the capacity of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and creating special units to investigate online child sexual exploitation.
The NCRC also called for a review of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act to better protect child rights and for digital platforms to be held accountable for removing child sexual abuse material.
Additional measures include limiting unnecessary contact between children and unknown adults and balancing children’s digital rights with protection.
Advocates Muhammad Jalal Haider and Yahya Farid represent the petitioner in the case.
