The federal government has appointed lawyer and current Islamabad Advocate General Ayaz Shaukat as the first chairman of the newly established Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA).
Sources say Shaukat is likely to resign from his current position after Eidul Fitr to assume his new role.
The authority was created under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025. It will have a total of eight members. Five members—Sohail Iqbal, Adnan Khan, Muhammad Salman Zafar, Fahad Malik, and Muhammad Saad Ali—have already been notified. The remaining two members will include a journalist and a software engineer. All appointments, including the chairman, will serve a five-year term.
SMPRA will operate as a corporate body. It can sue and be sued in its own name. The headquarters will be in Islamabad, with the option to set up regional offices in provincial capitals and other areas of Pakistan.
The authority has broad powers to regulate social media. It can monitor, remove, or block unlawful or offensive content. It will oversee platform registration, licensing, and compliance. SMPRA can partially or fully block platforms that fail to meet legal requirements until they comply.
It will also issue guidelines and standards for digital platforms. The authority can fine violators and direct relevant agencies to remove content. It will provide a system for complaints and can take action on its own initiative in case of violations.
SMPRA is tasked with promoting online safety. It will conduct research, raise awareness, coordinate with international organizations, and support capacity-building in the digital sector.
Since its introduction in 2016, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act has faced criticism. Human rights groups have warned that amendments to the law could increase government control over digital platforms and restrict fundamental freedoms.
