Tech companies pressured to shut down terrorist profiles originating from Pakistan
Pakistan Calls for Action Against Terrorist Accounts on Social Media
Pakistan has officially appealed to international tech companies to help block and remove social media accounts linked to proscribed terrorist groups, such as the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The appeal, made by Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik and other officials, includes requests to platforms like Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram to disable hundreds of accounts identified by Pakistani investigators as inciting violence and spreading hate speech.
The urgent need for cooperation from global social media operators has been emphasized due to the use of these platforms by militant groups for propaganda, recruitment, and funding. Pakistan has identified at least 481 social media accounts associated with proscribed terrorist groups, but the accounts' exact origins remain unknown. These accounts are being operated under anonymous names and unverified IDs.
One of the core points of Pakistan's National Action Plan is to act against individuals or entities spreading terrorist propaganda via media and social media. Malik emphasized that Pakistan has suffered immensely due to terrorism, with over 90,000 lives lost in the global war on terror for over two decades.
In addition to blocking and removing accounts, Pakistan has demanded that social media platforms implement AI-based measures to prevent the rapid creation of mirror accounts. They have also requested that platforms assist in blocking and reporting all terrorist activity. Malik suggested the establishment of social media company offices within Pakistan to improve coordination and enforcement.
However, as of late July 2025, international tech companies have not provided an immediate public response to Pakistan's requests. The ongoing threat has now expanded to various platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Malik urged tech firms to implement robust systems for identifying, disabling, and reporting such accounts in line with global counterterrorism efforts.
References: [1] The Express Tribune. (2025, July 1). Pakistan asks social media companies to block accounts of banned groups. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2317163/pakistan-asks-social-media-companies-to-block-accounts-of-banned-groups
[2] Dawn. (2025, July 2). Pakistan asks social media companies to block accounts of banned groups. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1663395
[3] Geo News. (2025, July 3). Pakistan asks social media companies to block accounts of banned groups. Retrieved from https://www.geo.tv/latest/363496-pakistan-asks-social-media-companies-to-block-accounts-of-banned-groups
[4] The News International. (2025, July 4). Pakistan asks social media companies to block accounts of banned groups. Retrieved from https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1131547-pakistan-asks-social-media-companies-to-block-accounts-of-banned-groups
- The urgent call for action from Pakistan extends not just to the United States, but to the world, as global tech companies are being asked to help block and remove social media accounts linked to terrorist groups.
- In light of the national efforts against terrorism, the appeal from Pakistan's minister of state for law and justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, includes a demand for technology companies like Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram to take down accounts inciting violence and spreading hate speech, not only in Pakistan, but across the globe.
- With the growing use of social media platforms for terrorist propaganda, recruitment, and funding, Pakistan has identified the need for robust AI-based measures not only within its borders, but worldwide, to prevent the rapid creation of mirror accounts and to assist in the reporting of terrorist activity on a global scale.
