Summary Pakistan appoints Ayaz Shaukat as SMPRA chairman under amended PECA law, empowering authority to regulate social media, license platforms, block content, and ensure compliance nationwide.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The federal government on Thursday appointed lawyer and Islamabad Advocate General Ayaz Shaukat as the first chairman of the newly formed Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA).
SMPRA has been established under the amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, and will consist of eight members. The government has already notified five members: Sohail Iqbal, Adnan Khan, Muhammad Salman Zafar, Fahad Malik, and Muhammad Saad Ali.
As per the law, the remaining two members will include a journalist and a software engineer. The chairman and members will serve a five-year term.
The authority will operate as a corporate body with the power to sue and be sued, with its headquarters in Islamabad and the option to establish regional offices across the country.
SMPRA has been granted extensive powers to regulate unlawful and offensive online content, oversee the registration and licensing of digital platforms, and enforce compliance. It may suspend or revoke licenses and block platforms partially or completely in case of violations.
Additionally, the authority will issue guidelines, impose fines, and direct relevant entities to remove or restrict unlawful content. It will also handle complaints, initiate actions independently, promote online safety, support research and awareness, and coordinate with international organisations.
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), introduced in 2016, has faced criticism from various quarters, with some labeling it a restrictive law aimed at curbing dissent.
