Pakistan has shut down over 500 social media accounts that are reportedly associated with banned militant groups, as part of a coordinated crackdown with international platforms.

 

 

Information from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) indicates that more than 850 accounts were flagged on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Telegram, and WhatsApp. Among these, 533 accounts have been deleted, while actions regarding the remaining accounts are still in progress.

 

 

Officials have stated that these accounts were linked to organisations like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and Baloch Liberation Front (BLF). All three groups are banned in Pakistan and recognised as proscribed entities by the United Nations (UN), the United States (US), and the United Kingdom (UK). The total number of followers for the blocked accounts exceeded two million.

 

 

The NCCIA and PTA collaborated to identify and report these accounts, working with representatives of the platforms to provide information and request their removal. Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja secured direct cooperation from Telegram, despite the app being banned in Pakistan.

 

 

The level of compliance varied among the platforms. Facebook and TikTok removed more than 90% of the accounts reported, while X and WhatsApp acted on approximately 30% of the requests. 

 

 

The government has called for increased international cooperation to combat the use of social media by prohibited organisations. Officials have urged platforms to implement precautionary measures, including permanent bans on accounts linked to such groups and the application of artificial intelligence systems to identify and eliminate related content.

 

 

Authorities noted that, although extremist content is absent from mainstream Pakistani media, online platforms continue to be used for recruitment and incitement. They proposed creating direct, rapid-response communication channels between platform operators and Pakistani regulators to strengthen enforcement.