The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has proposed to amend the Income Tax Rules, 2002, aimed at integrating social media content creators into the nation’s tax framework. This initiative targets individuals who generate substantial revenue from platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram through advertisements, sponsorships, and other monetisation strategies.

According to documents, the FBR seeks to tax income accrued from content that engages Pakistani users. The proposed modifications specify that non-resident individuals deriving income from Pakistani users on social media platforms will be subject to taxation if their content reaches at least 50,000 users annually. This threshold is further broken down to 12,250 users within any quarter.

Taxable earnings will be determined by evaluating the income against allowable expenses, with considerations for the volume of content and average views. Influencers will be required to declare this income separately in their annual tax returns, ensuring transparency and compliance.

The FBR’s notification outlines a special taxation procedure whereby those falling under this new rule must calculate their advance income tax using the methods specified in rules 19M and 19N of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The calculated tax for each quarter will then be payable or recoverable under the provisions of section 147 of the same ordinance.

Furthermore, the proposed rules allow social media influencers to claim up to 30% of their income as deductible expenses.

The FBR has opened the floor for objections and suggestions regarding these amendments, providing a seven-day window.

]]> http://pakistanpressfoundation.org/govt-names-ayaz-shaukat-as-chairman-of-social-media-protection-and-regulatory-authority/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=govt-names-ayaz-shaukat-as-chairman-of-social-media-protection-and-regulatory-authority Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:32:30 +0000 https://pakistanpressfoundation.org/?p=113780 Continue reading "Govt names Ayaz Shaukat as chairman of Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority"

On March 19, the Federal Government officially appointed Ayaz Shaukat, a lawyer and the incumbent Islamabad Advocate General, as the chairman of the newly established Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA). This appointment was announced by the Ministry of Interior in a notification.

The SMPRA, formed under the amended Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, will comprise eight members, including five who have been notified — Sohail Iqbal, Adnan Khan, Muhammad Salman Zafar, Fahad Malik, and Muhammad Saad Ali. The remaining members will be a journalist and a software engineer. The chairman and members will be appointed for five years.

The authority will function as a corporate entity.

Ayaz Shaukat is set to resign from his role as advocate general after Eidul Fitr, transitioning to lead SMPRA’s operations. The authority will also establish its principal office in Islamabad, with provision for regional offices.

Under PECA, SMPRA can issue directives to block or remove unlawful or offensive content on social media platforms. It is also tasked with managing licenses, overseeing registration of platforms and partial or full blocking of platforms that fail to comply.

Action on complaints will be taken within 24 hours.

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On February 25, the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued directives to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to take “indiscriminate action” against individuals orchestrating campaigns against the judiciary on social media platforms. During the hearing, presided over by Justice Ali Zia Bajwa, the court was informed of ongoing investigations that had so far identified 200 digital links, 79 social media accounts, and 54 individuals allegedly involved in these campaigns.

The NCCIA’s Director General, Syed Khurram Ali, reported to the court that notices had been issued to 34 of these identified individuals, and eleven suspects had been arrested. The Director General assured the court of the agency’s commitment to taking all lawful measures to protect the judiciary’s dignity and independence.

The Deputy Attorney General told the court about a report by the Ministry of Interior, which involves the constitution of an authority under Section 2-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. This development is under consideration by the federal government.

Furthermore, the court heard from Mian Dawood, counsel for the petitioner Advocate Pervaiz Elahi Bhaddar, who argued that “stern action” had not yet been taken against those involved in the derogatory campaigns, despite previous court directions. In response, the NCCIA reiterated its dedication to curbing such contemptuous activities and upholding the rule of law.

The proceedings also included insights from the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Chairman Faisal Yousaf, who participated as amicus curiae. He discussed technological tools that could be utilized to prevent the spread of illegal online content.

In his written order, Justice Bajwa expressed concern over the alarming and persistent trend of maligning judges through unregulated social media, noting that it could influence the course of justice. He emphasized that judges speak only through their judgments and are unable to publicly address allegations.

The judge concluded by instructing the NCCIA to submit a comprehensive report at the next hearing, detailing the mechanisms in place to monitor and counteract unlawful social media campaigns against the judiciary. The date for the next hearing has yet to be announced.

On February 26, Punjab Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Bokhari, issued a strong rebuke of an “unethical and malicious” social media campaign targeting Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. In a video statement, Bokhari said that the campaign had been propelled by the “Fitna Party’s social media brigade” and some absconding YouTubers, who claim to be journalists, were involved.

The minister expressed disappointment over some within the journalism community accepting these individuals, stating that their actions besmirch the profession. Bokhari emphasized that actions against these “so-called journalists” are misrepresented as political victimization or attacks on freedom of expression.

Since 2014, Maryam Nawaz has been the subject of the online smear campaign, shared Bokhari, which she argued raises serious questions about the professional standards of those involved.

Bokhari stated that the persistent smear campaign has not only been ineffective in harming the Chief Minister but has also unveiled the true motives of certain social media elements. She urged the public to disregard this “unethical propaganda” and support truthful and responsible discourse.

A department spokesperson detailed that advertising and selling unapproved crop varieties are illegal activities that could severely impact the per-acre yield and overall crop productivity. The misleading promotions on social media platforms are deceiving farmers, leading to potential financial losses.

Authorities have warned that crops grown from these unapproved seeds may be destroyed as part of the enforcement measures. The department is committed to taking legal action against individuals marketing these seeds online under cyber laws.

The spokesperson reiterated the department’s dedication to protecting farmers’ interests by ensuring only approved, high-quality seed varieties are used.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Naqvi said that “since the past few days, past few weeks, 90 per cent news on social media is fake.”

Naqvi said that on social media “one can post any photo, make news as per their wish and post it,” and that this would not be allowed. He added that the state would no longer allow individuals to “declare a living person dead, a dead person alive, or make any allegation they please without evidence.”

He stated that he believes in freedom of expression and the liberty to criticise,  but said these liberties do not extend to manufacturing or circulating false content.

Naqvi drew a distinction between journalists and those spreading fake news on social media. He said: “Journalists are responsible, those who are part of the national media” and work within systems of checks and balances and editorial boards, and that “those who spread fake news are not journalists for us.”

He said that if false news is reported in the mainstream media, a complaint can be filed with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the relevant journalist is answerable to their newsroom supervisors. He contrasted this with social media.

Naqvi said the action is “not against journalists,” but against those spreading fake news.

In response to a question about a regulatory body, Naqvi said one “is already being established.”

The petitioner argued that this content violates the Constitution, provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) of 2016 and Pakistan Penal Code and Rule 3 of the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Contents Rules of 2021. 

He has requested the court to completely ban TikTok in Pakistan and to prevent the future introduction of similar applications that could negatively impact the country’s “moral and ethical values.”

The PHC bench, consisting of Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah, has directed the PTA counsel to submit its response by June 26. According to their latest transparency report, TikTok responded to over 300 requests from the government in the second half of 2023, removing 93.5% of the flagged content. This included taking down more than 12,000 videos for violating community guidelines and over 2,000 for breaching local law. Additionally, TikTok claims a proactive removal rate of 99.5% globally for content violating its guidelines in the last quarter of 2023.

Bukhari also announced the allocation of a one billion rupees budget for healthcare of the journalists’ community.

Addressing concerns and protests surrounding the Punjab Defamation Act, 2024, Bukhari acknowledged the right of journalists to voice their opinions but urged patience as the Bill has been challenged in court and its fate awaits a judicial decision.

The Punjab Assembly’s budget session on June 13 was marked by a boycott from journalists over the controversial new defamation law.

Journalists staged a walkout from the press gallery, chanting slogans against the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 and labeling it a “black law.” They protested outside the assembly building, criticizing the government for not consulting them on the legislation.

The Punjab Defamation Bill 2024, passed by the Punjab Assembly on May 20, has been a source of contention since its introduction on May 13. The Bill was passed without stakeholder consultations and allows for the establishment of special tribunals to address “fake news,” with the power to impose fines of up to Rs 3 million and block social media accounts.Pakistan Press Foundation highlighted the lack of clarity, transparency, and consultation in the drafting and approval of the bill, pointing out the potential for misuse against journalists and media professionals.  PPF had called for meaningful consultations with relevant stakeholders before further amendments or legislation were passed.

It was reported that to regulate online content, the Government of Pakistan is installing a national firewall across various internet service providers (ISPs) to control and block unwanted content on social media. 

A well-placed official, when asked if the firewall had been purchased, confirmed to The News, “It is already bought. Now it is being installed and commissioned.” 

The PTI spokesperson accused the government of being “mandate thieves” and vowed that they would resist any “unconstitutional and illegal bans” particularly on social media. 

The spokesperson condemned the allocation of billions of rupees “to silence the people and the media” and emphasized that PTI would ensure that public opinion remains unaffected by those “hiding behind the firewall.” He called for the Constitution’s restoration and the public mandate’s return.

Additionally, the PTI spokesperson strongly condemned the arrest of anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan and the government’s action preventing him from performing Hajj, despite an order from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) permitting him to travel. 

A PTCL spokesperson told Geo News: “PTCL’s traffic is not affected due to submarine cable cut.”

The spokesperson clarified that internet traffic in Pakistan remains normal and unaffected because the cable is not part of PTCL’s network infrastructure. They emphasized that PTCL’s network is functioning optimally with “no service interruption.”

However, sources within the telecom sector told Geo News that they have observed packet drops, as well as slow browsing and streaming, since April 22. The issue is believed to be linked to a cut in the SEA-ME-WE 5 cable near Indonesia, which caused five cuts on the fiber-optic submarine cable. These disruptions may take time to fully recover.

Internet service coming from the eastern direction is affected due to the cut in the optic fiber cable. PTCL and Transworld’s eastbound traffic is affected. The internet traffic coming from the eastern direction is now less than 10%, with the affected traffic being shifted to alternate channels.

The recent cable cut follows a temporary internet service disruption on April 9, affecting users across Pakistan, with outages starting around 11:35 am. Primary service providers impacted included PTCL, Nayatel, and Transworld Home, with major cities such as Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar reporting connectivity issues.

Source:  The Nation

It called upon them to play their responsible role in the campaign to curb offensive material and, in every circumstance, to utilize legal avenues to combat such content by reporting it to the relevant cyber crime authorities and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), it said.

According to details released by the ministry, nefarious elements have been actively using social media to launch a well-organized campaign aimed at undermining the ethics, behavior, and beliefs of our youth for several years. The harmful effects of social media on society have become a matter of great concern. While indecency itself is intolerable, the situation has escalated to the point of blasphemy, which is an extremely grave offense. As per the Ministry’s statement, highly organized campaigns on social media platforms are being conducted to spread extremely blasphemous material against the most revered figures, including Allah Almighty (God), the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the Ahl al-Bayt (Prophet’s family), the Mothers of the Believers, the Companions of the Prophet, the Holy Quran, and the national flag. Such offensive content is being shared through images and videos on specific applications and groups.

The Cyber Crimes wing of the FIA has apprehended individuals involved in these crimes, including doctors, professors, engineers, chartered accountants, lawyers, and people from various walks of life.

According to the ministry, the report filed by the FIA Cyber Crime and the investigation conducted by the Legal Commission in the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court revealed that more than 400,000 accounts in Pakistan are involved in disseminating such severe blasphemy. The proliferation of indecency through social media is promoting the degradation of our society and dragging the new generation into the quagmire of blasphemy. Currently, over 100 million people in the country use social media, which demonstrates the rapid spread of this evil.

In 2019, four individuals formed a blasphemous group, which was subsequently apprehended by the FIA Cyber Crime in 2022. However, by the time of their arrest, the number of members in this group had significantly increased, and this increase continues to this day.

The primary objective of this alarming trend is to create chaos in Pakistan, destabilize peace and security, and sow seeds of hatred among different religious communities and sects. The act of blasphemy is being orchestrated through conspiratorial means, using accounts with names that appear to belong to a particular religion or sect to defame and insult opposing religions or sects.

Source: Daily Times

After PTI Chairman Imran Khan, was taken into custody, PTI supporters trashed both private and public properties on May 9.

Following the incident, the authorities shut off internet access for millions of people nationwide for nearly four days on the justification that social media was a key source of incitement.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had justified the services’ blockage by asserting that the party’s “entire work,” including “the planning and the abuse, all of it is done on social media,” was done online.

Defence Minister Asif remarked in an interview, “The option to censor social media is always present. The suspension may resume at [any moment],” if necessary.

The defense minister defended his position by pointing out that social media sites are governed in China and other emerging nations, such as Europe.

The minister remarked, “Social media is regulated everywhere,” adding that the websites were used to agitate individuals, which resulted in their violent behavior on May 9.

The minister also valued the fact that those responsible for the attacks on military facilities and martyrs’ monuments were held accountable.

Asif stated that although there were legal obstacles, the administration will overcome them to pursue the idea of convicting civilians in military courts.

Source:  Minutes Minor

TikTok has become a popular platform for people of all ages to showcase their talents, creativity, and engage with others in a fun and entertaining way. While it is true that some individuals may become addicted to using the app, it is also important to acknowledge that there are many creators who use it responsibly and create content that adheres to the community guidelines set by the platform.

Furthermore, TikTok provides features like screen time management, which allow users and parents to manage the amount of time spent on the app. This can help prevent excessive use and ensure that users are not negatively impacted by the platform.Instead of placing restrictions on the use of a specific platform, we should focus on educating individuals about responsible usage and the potential risks associated with excessive use of social media.

Source: The Nation

The decision was made during a meeting between acting British High Commissioner Andrew Dagleish and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.During the meeting, the promotion of bilateral diplomatic relations, including cooperation in various fields of media, digital media, media training and filmmaking, was also discussed.

The minister congratulated the ambassador and the people of the UK over the coronation of King Charles III.

Ms Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to the United Kingdom and his participation in the coronation of King Charles III were manifestation of the friendship based on respect and trust between the two countries.

Stating that Pakistan attached special importance to bilateral relations with Britain, she expressed the determination to further strengthen the bilateral ties.

During discussion on the cooperation in film policy and media training, the minister said film and drama played an important role in highlighting the culture and positive identity of any country.

Marriyum Aurangzeb appreciated the role of the British government for development of health, education, governance and human resource in Pakistan.

She said the Pakistan government would get help from Britain’s modern media curriculum to provide training to journalists.

The British diplomat appreciated the progress made in the information sector, including the economic policies of the present Pakistan government.

He hailed Pakistan’s improvement of seven ranks in the Global Media Freedom Index and congratulated the information minister over the achievement.

The high commissioner also assured all possible cooperation to reduce the economic crisis of Pakistan and expressed his good wishes and deep interest in promoting bilateral relations.

Source: Samaa

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had suspended internet services and restricted access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube on the interior ministry’s instructions in the wake of violent protests sparked by the PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest.

The authority had partially restored mobile internet services were across Pakistan after more than 72 hours of shutdown but social media apps were yet to work properly.

It is pertinent to mention that the suspension of the internet services has incurred losses to the tune of Rs2.49 billion to Pakistan’s telecom sector.

The suspension is affecting e-commerce, online services, home delivery and ride-hailing apps to a great extent.

In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, nearly 150,000 bike riders have been affected due to the suspension of the broadband internet facility.

The decision to shut down mobile internet services was criticised by many human rights activists and journalists, who claimed that it was a violation of the right to freedom of expression and access to information.

Source: The Express Tribune

The decision was taken by the lawmakers during an in-camera meeting of the NA panel on Tuesday.

The meeting was open for the media when it began but the committee chairman Rana Qasim Noon decided to go in-camera when the panel started discussing the draft of contempt of parliament bill

The committee took up the privileges motions of the National Assembly members besides discussion on the draft of the contempt of parliament bill.

The meeting was attended by committee members Muhammad Sajjad, Chaudhry Armaghan Subhani, Ramesh Lal, Makhdoom Syed Sami-ul-Hassan Gillani and Sardar Riaz Mahmood Khan Mazari. MNAs Sheikh Rohail Asghar and Mohsin Dawar also attended the meeting as movers of the privilege motion.

Later, talking to media persons after the meeting, Noon said the that the law of contempt of parliament is the need of the hour, adding that the lawmakers were working on the bill for a long time to make the National Assembly effective. He said the draft will be prepared in a few days after consultations are held with legal experts.

Noon said that the law would apply to anyone who would insult parliament, and the existing “toothless” parliament would be strengthene

Besides discussion on the proposed bill, the committee also took up the issue raised by Asghar on the statement about Quaid-e-Azam by anchorperson Orya Maqbool Jan.

The committee pended the question of privilege with the direction that Jan should be blacked out by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

Pemra was directed that all programmes of Jan should be taken off-air with a report to the committee. The committee also directed that a penalty should be imposed by the PTA, FIA and Pemra on the anchorperson besides taking action against him as per rules and regulations with a report to the committee within 15 days.

On a question of privilege raised by Dr Nafisa Shah about the Parliament Lodges maintenance, the committee directed the CDA chairman to resolve the issues and report within 15 days.

Source: Geo Tv