Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with Meta, conducted a focused workshop titled “Counter Terrorism in the Digital Age” at the PTA headquarters. The event included active participation from representatives of Meta’s core platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—alongside senior officials from law enforcement agencies and relevant government departments. The session was aimed at strengthening coordination between digital platforms and national regulators to address the growing use of social media by extremist elements.
Discussions at the workshop centered on how Meta identifies, reviews, and removes terrorism-related content. Meta’s representatives provided insights into their platform-specific content moderation systems, community guidelines, and escalation protocols. Detailed briefings were delivered on reporting procedures and how law enforcement can effectively engage with Meta to flag content that poses a potential threat to public safety. A dedicated Q&A session enabled Pakistani stakeholders to engage directly with Meta’s policy team, raising context-specific queries and seeking clarifications on operational processes.
Chairman PTA, Major General (R) Hafeez ur Rehman, reaffirmed the regulator’s commitment to ensuring a secure online space. He highlighted the importance of building productive relationships with global technology companies to prevent misuse of digital platforms by extremist actors. He stated that these partnerships are necessary for maintaining the balance between digital freedom and responsible content governance.
Representing Meta, Dr. Nawab Osman, who leads the company’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals (DOI) Policy, acknowledged the proactive role played by PTA. He emphasized the value of such collaborative engagements in strengthening both enforcement and transparency, noting that the workshop serves as a platform for mutual learning and capacity building. He added that Meta remains committed to maintaining user safety while upholding its community standards.
The workshop aligns with PTA’s broader policy to promote digital accountability and foster safer online ecosystems. This includes forming alliances with global digital companies to improve responsiveness, enable faster threat identification, and bolster national capabilities to tackle cyber-enabled risks. PTA continues to advocate for responsible internet usage and aims to ensure digital platforms contribute positively to Pakistan’s information environment.
This collaborative session also reflects Meta’s approach to regional engagement, where platform safety is addressed in partnership with governments and civil society. By outlining policy enforcement mechanisms and offering transparency around its internal operations, Meta aims to build trust with stakeholders and ensure that digital tools are not misused for promoting violence or extremist ideologies.
Through continued dialogue and knowledge exchange, PTA and Meta are working toward creating a regulatory model where technological innovation coexists with public safety and content integrity. Such efforts are central to maintaining a secure and inclusive digital environment in Pakistan.
