ISLAMABAD: The federal government has appointed Barrister Syed Azfar Ali Nasir as chairman of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA) for five years.
The Ministry of Interior issued a notification announcing the appointment under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025.
Nasir is a lawyer and industrialist who has previously served in several public positions. He was part of the caretaker Punjab cabinet, where he held portfolios including Auqaf and Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr, Housing and Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering.
He also served as chairman of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and other related development boards.
SMPRA was set up under the amended PECA law to oversee social media platforms operating in Pakistan. Its responsibilities include dealing with unlawful content, complaints about false or misleading information, and directing platforms to remove or restrict material.
The authority is also tasked with registering and licensing digital platforms. Under the law, it must act on certain complaints within 24 hours and can impose penalties or recommend blocking platforms that do not comply with its directions.
The authority was first constituted in March 2026, when Ayaz Shaukat, then Islamabad’s advocate general, was appointed its first chairman along with several members.
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However, reports earlier this year said SMPRA had not become fully operational because it lacked a dedicated budget, office and staff.
Nasir’s appointment comes as the authority is still working to establish itself as the country’s social media regulator.
