3G/4G Users Reached 121m In Pakistan

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan’s population of 3G and 4G service subscribers would total 121 million by the end of November 2022.

According to information found on the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) official website, 194 million active mobile SIM cards were in use during that time.

There were 124 million broadband subscribers, and 56.00 percent of households had access to the internet.

The United Kingdom recently announced that children under the age of 16 will no longer be permitted to use major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube and X. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal, however, are exempt from the restrictions.

Announcing the policy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the algorithms used by social media companies, arguing that they are designed to keep users engaged for extended periods.

“Like all parents, I want my children to be happy and safe,” Starmer said. “The question is whether that remains possible after using social media.”

Under the proposed framework, technology companies will be required to prevent underage users from creating new accounts, while existing accounts belonging to minors will also be shut down.

Australia Leads the Way

Australia became the first country in the world to enact what is commonly described as a “blanket ban” on underage social media use.

The legislation, which came into effect in December 2025, set the minimum age for opening accounts on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Twitch and Kik at 16 years nationwide.

The law also imposes substantial penalties on companies that fail to enforce the age restrictions.

Pakistan’s Debate Continues

Pakistan has yet to enact formal legislation regulating social media use by minors, but the issue has increasingly attracted attention in parliament and the courts.

In June 2025, PPP senators Masroor Ahsan and Sarmad Ali introduced a bill in the Senate seeking to ban social media use for children under 16. The bill was later withdrawn in August 2025 following objections from various quarters.

The debate resurfaced in January 2026 when several senators submitted a calling-attention notice on the issue. Acting Senate Chairman Sherry Rehman subsequently approved the formation of a committee comprising both government and opposition members to examine the matter.

During the discussion, Senator Falak Naz referred to the murder of 17-year-old TikToker Sana Yousaf, arguing that the incident highlighted the potential dangers associated with unsupervised social media use by minors.

Sherry Rehman, however, emphasized that social media also serves educational purposes and argued that policymakers should carefully consider all dimensions of the issue before reaching a decision.

Courts Push for Child Protection Measures

The matter has also reached Pakistan’s judiciary.

In January 2026, the Lahore High Court directed the federal government to formulate a national child online protection policy, drawing on models adopted by Australia and other countries.