The National Assembly is set to take up a new private member’s bill titled the “Prohibition of Obscenity and Vulgarity on Digital Media Bill 2025” in its upcoming session.
Introduced by PPP lawmaker Dr. Syeda Shahida Rehmani, the bill seeks to regulate online and offline digital content, proposing stringent penalties ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs1 billion for violations.
The legislation defines “digital media” broadly to include social media networks, applications, streaming services, films, dramas, songs, web series, advertisements, and live broadcasts.
Prohibited content would encompass sexual conversations, depictions of extramarital relationships or immorality, semi-nude attire, drug use, and material deemed offensive to public morality.
The bill also seeks to ban ridicule of hijab, purdah, or the family system, as well as mocking of religious figures, content hurting religious sentiments, or material against Pakistan’s ideology and cultural values.
To enforce the law, the bill proposes the creation of a new regulatory authority, an eight-member board, and a tribunal.
The board — comprising religious scholars, psychologists, civil society members, media experts, and chaired by a federal government nominee — would have powers to ban content, impose fines, suggest amendments, and even take suo motu action.
The tribunal would consist of a high court-qualified judge, a media professional, and an IT expert to adjudicate cases. Investigations would be conducted by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), with prosecutions handled under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.
The bill outlines escalating penalties:
First offense: 1 year in jail + Rs500,000 fine
Repeat offense: 3 years + Rs5 million fine
Sensitive content (religion, women, children, family system): 5 years + Rs10 million fine
Digital platforms would also be legally bound to report uploaded content within 15 days, block prohibited material within 24 hours of notice, and retain records for three years.
Service providers failing to comply would face fines of Rs50 million for the first violation, Rs100 million for the second, and potential license cancellation or service suspension for repeated breaches.
All offenses under the proposed law would be non-bailable and non-compoundable.
The bill will first be reviewed by the relevant standing committee before being presented for a vote in the National Assembly.
