Azfar Ali Nasir to Lead Pakistan’s Social Media Regulator
The former RUDA and CBD Punjab chairman has been appointed head of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority for five years.
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, according to a Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control notification dated October 30, 2026.
The notification says the appointment was made under Section 2D of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025.
Who Is Syed Azfar Ali Nasir?
Nasir is a lawyer who has held senior public-sector roles in Punjab. He served as a caretaker provincial minister in the Punjab cabinet formed in January 2023, with portfolios including Auqaf, Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr, as well as Housing and Urban Development.
He later served as chairman of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (CBD Punjab).
What SMPRA Does
The law assigns SMPRA responsibilities that include regulating social media platforms, overseeing their enlistment, issuing guidelines and addressing unlawful or offensive online content. The authority also has powers related to platform compliance, fines and directions to remove or block content.
