The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it lacks the statutory authority to enforce mandatory age verification or restrict social media access for children under 16. Responding to a petition seeking stronger protections against cyberbullying, harassment, and harmful online content, the PTA maintained that introducing age restrictions would require new legislation. The authority also highlighted regulatory changes under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act 2025, which envisages transferring social media oversight to the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA). Citing technical challenges, the PTA argued that HTTPS encryption makes blocking individual URLs difficult without restricting access to entire platforms. While acknowledging the importance of child online safety, the authority urged the court to dismiss demands exceeding its legal mandate, raising broader questions about regulatory accountability, children’s digital rights, and effective online protection mechanisms.