More than 1.54 million social media accounts, websites, videos and other online content have been blocked in Pakistan as part of efforts to counterterrorism, incitement, hate speech and other objectionable material, according to a report submitted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to the Peshawar High Court.
The report states that a total of 1,541,479 accounts and pieces of online content were blocked across social media platforms.
TikTok accounted for 170,231 actions against objectionable content. These included 15,356 accounts, websites, videos and other material found to be against security institutions or related to efforts targeting Pakistan’s defence.
A further 16,934 items associated with unrest and terrorism were removed or blocked on the platform.
The action on TikTok also covered 5,433 items relating to blasphemy, 2,299 defamatory items, 124,974 obscene or immoral items, 3,859 hate-based items and 987 items falling into other categories.
The report showed that action was also taken across other major social media platforms. A total of 229,508 items were blocked on Facebook, 74,236 on Twitter, 66,290 on YouTube, 44,951 on Instagram and 50,165 on WhatsApp.
Another 891,772 items were blocked across other social media platforms.
The scale of the action reflects the growing role of digital platforms in Pakistan’s counterterrorism and internal security efforts, particularly as terrorist organizations increasingly use online spaces for propaganda, recruitment, incitement, fundraising and psychological warfare.
Terrorist groups have increasingly shifted part of their propaganda operations from physical networks to social media, allowing them to spread narratives, glorify attacks and attempt to create fear among the public without maintaining a visible physical presence.
The removal of material linked to terrorism and unrest is therefore aimed not only at restricting access to harmful content but also at disrupting the information environment exploited by terrorist organizations and other groups seeking to incite violence.
The PTA submitted the report before the Peshawar High Court as part of proceedings concerning objectionable content and its regulation on social media platforms.
