--- title: "PTA tells court it lacks authority to restrict social media use by children under 16" description: "Most outlets reported that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Islamabad High Court that it lacks the legal authority to restrict social media access for children under 16. While all emphasized the PTA’s submission, some, like Dawn and the Business Recorder, noted the PTA’s inability to impose mandatory age verification or create such laws. The Daily Times also highlighted the absence of existing legislation to enforce the ban. The framing was largely consistent across outlets, with variations in the specific legal terms used." url: https://harzaviya.com/stories/11716-pta-says-can-t-bar-children-under-16-from-using-social-media site: HarZaviya language: en --- # PTA tells court it lacks authority to restrict social media use by children under 16 pakistan · updated 2 Oct 2026, 5:45 AM PKT · 30 Sep – 2 Oct 2026 · 8 articles from 7 outlets over 2 developments ## How it developed Newest development first. Each carries its own coverage and, where we have one, our summary of it. ### 1 Oct 2026 — PTA tells court it lacks authority to restrict social media use by children under 16 (5 outlets) > Most outlets reported that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Islamabad High Court that it lacks the legal authority to restrict social media access for children under 16. While all emphasized the PTA’s submission, some, like Dawn and the Business Recorder, noted the PTA’s inability to impose mandatory age verification or create such laws. The Daily Times also highlighted the absence of existing legislation to enforce the ban. The framing was largely consistent across outlets, with variations in the specific legal terms used. - **Daily Times** — [No law currently exists to ban social media use by children under 16, says PTA](https://dailytimes.com.pk/1561237/no-law-currently-exists-to-ban-social-media-use-by-children-under-16-says-pta/) · 2 Oct 2026, 5:45 AM PKT > The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has submitted its detailed reply before the Islamabad High Court IHC) in a case regarding a ban on social media use by children under the age of 16. In its reply, the PTA stated that no law currently exists to ban social media use by children under 16, and that […] - **Business Recorder** — [PTA tells IHC: No law exists to ban social media use by children under 16](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40442234/pta-tells-ihc-no-law-exists-to-ban-social-media-use-by-children-under-16) · 2 Oct 2026, 5:38 AM PKT · 93% identical wording to the newest filing > ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that no law currently exists to ban social media use by children under 16, and that it cannot establish an age-verification system for children beyond the law and its granted powers. The PTA submitted its detailed reply before the IHC in a petition seeking a ban on social media use by children unde... - **Dawn** — [PTA says it lacks authority to impose mandatory age verification or restrict social media access for minors](https://www.dawn.com/news/2034012/pta-says-it-lacks-authority-to-impose-mandatory-age-verification-or-restrict-social-media-access-for-minors) · 1 Oct 2026, 9:59 PM PKT · 81% identical wording to the newest filing > ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it lacked the statutory authority to impose mandatory age verification or restrict social media access for minors under the age of 16. It stated this in a detailed report submitted to the IHC in response to a writ petition seeking to restrict social media use for minors. This writ ... - **Associated Press of Pakistan** — [PTA submits detailed reply on banning social media use by children under 16](https://www.app.com.pk/national/pta-submits-detailed-reply-on-banning-social-media-use-by-children-under-16/) · 1 Oct 2026, 5:40 PM PKT · 91% identical wording to the newest filing > The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has submitted its detailed reply before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a case regarding a ban on social media use by children under the age of 16. - **Hum News English** — [PTA says can’t bar children under 16 from using social media](https://humenglish.com/latest/pta-says-cant-bar-children-under-16-from-using-social-media/) · 1 Oct 2026, 2:38 PM PKT · 90% identical wording to the newest filing > ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it does not have the legal authority to prevent children under 16 from using social media platforms. The PTA submitted its detailed reply in a case concerning a proposed ban on social media use by children under 16. The Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Interior and the National Commiss... ### 30 Sep 2026 — PTA responds to court on regulating children's social media use (2 outlets) > Most outlets reported that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) submitted its response to the Islamabad High Court regarding the regulation of children's social media use. ProPakistani highlighted the PTA's claim that it lacks legal authority to ban social media for children, while ARY News (English) focused on the submission itself and the context of the court hearing a petition on regulating social media for those under 16. - **ARY News (English)** — [PTA submits reply to IHC in children’s social media use case](https://arynews.tv/pta-submits-reply-ihc-childrens-social-media-use-case) · 1 Oct 2026, 12:27 PM PKT > The high court hearing a petition seeking regulation of the social media use by children below 16 years of age... - **ProPakistani** — [Cannot Ban Social Media for Children: PTA](https://propakistani.pk/2026/09/30/cannot-ban-social-media-for-children-pta/) · 30 Sep 2026, 5:59 PM PKT · 68% identical wording to the newest filing > The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has told the Islamabad High Court that it does not have legal authority to ban… Read More ## Part of a bigger story Other stories whose coverage resembles this one, nearest first. "% related" compares whole stories, not single articles — see [what the percentages mean](https://harzaviya.com/methodology). - [IHC seeks responses on regulating social media use by children under 16](https://harzaviya.com/stories/5627-ihc-seeks-replies-on-plea-to-regulate-social-media-use) · 1 Sep 2026 · 8 outlets · 84% related - [IHC petition seeks regulation of social media use by under-16 children](https://harzaviya.com/stories/4359-ihc-moved-to-regulate-social-media-use-by-children) · 24 Aug 2026 · 5 outlets · 2 developments · 83% related - [IHC adjourns hearing on petition to regulate social media use by children under 16](https://harzaviya.com/stories/5236-ihc-adjourns-plea-seeking-social-media-curbs-for-children) · 29 Aug 2026 · 3 outlets · 82% related - [Plea filed in FCC to restrict social media access for children under 16](https://harzaviya.com/stories/7265-petition-seeks-social-media-ban-for-under-16s) · 9 Sep 2026 · 6 outlets · 2 developments · 78% related - [Punjab Assembly Passes Resolution to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16](https://harzaviya.com/stories/5905-punjab-assembly-calls-for-action-against-online-risks-facing) · 2 Sep 2026 · 16 outlets · 2 developments · 75% related 8 articles from 7 outlets, 30 Sep – 2 Oct 2026. 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