Senate IT Committee Seeks Nationwide Internet Briefing as Concerns Grow Over TikTok Live and Child Safety

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication has sought a detailed briefing on internet services across Pakistan within one month, amid complaints of connectivity disruptions, concerns over social media misuse, and calls for stronger safeguards for children online.

The meeting, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, took up a broad range of telecom and digital policy issues, including proposed telecom competition rules, outstanding matters linked to the privatization of PTCL, internet service disruptions, and the use of social media platforms.

Committee members raised concerns over reports of connectivity problems in Islamabad and elsewhere. Senator Kamran Murtaza said a link between the Supreme Court and its Quetta Registry had failed to connect, while the committee chairperson also referred to complaints about disrupted internet services in the capital.

PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman said the regulator would provide the committee with a countrywide briefing on internet services within a month. Concerns about service quality have also been raised in recent Senate committee proceedings, with PTA previously telling lawmakers that internet quality was expected to improve.

TikTok Live and Children’s Social Media Use Come Under Scrutiny

The committee also discussed complaints relating to harmful and inappropriate material on social media, including content accessed through TikTok Live. Senator Afnan Ullah Khan raised concerns about allegedly offensive content, while PTA officials said the Live feature is not officially available in Pakistan and users may access it through workarounds. Earlier reporting has similarly found that TikTok Live has not formally been launched in Pakistan rather than being newly banned by PTA.

The PTA chairman told the committee that around 500 social media-related complaints are being received daily, while members urged tougher protections for users under the age of 16.

The discussion comes as the government is already considering an age threshold for social media use by children and has begun consultations on possible restrictions and online-safety measures.

Separately, the committee gave the Ministry of IT 15 days to consult telecom companies over competition rules. It also decided to seek a joint meeting of the Senate committees on privatization and IT over outstanding issues related to PTCL’s privatization.

The meeting reflects growing parliamentary scrutiny of Pakistan’s digital ecosystem, ranging from internet reliability and telecom regulation to harmful online content and the protection of minors.

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