Will Pakistan Ban Grok? The Global Outcry Over AI Safety and Deepfakes

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As AI tools become more integrated into our daily digital lives, the line between innovation and harm is blurring. Recently, Grok, the AI chatbot on X (formerly Twitter), has come under fire globally. With countries like Malaysia and Indonesia taking action, the question arises: Is Pakistan considering a ban on Grok?

The Global Reckoning: Why Grok is in the Spotlight

The controversy began when a viral “undress” trend surfaced on X, where users utilized Grok to generate sexually explicit, altered images of real people. This sparked immediate legal investigations in:

  • Southeast Asia: Malaysia and Indonesia.
  • The West: The United Kingdom and Australia.
  • South Asia: India.

While Pakistan has not yet announced a formal restriction, the rapid spread of AI-enabled visual manipulation poses a significant threat to local digital safety.


Why AI-Generated Content is a Unique Threat to Pakistan

Pakistan is already grappling with an urgent online safety crisis. According to the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing, the most reported crimes include:

  1. Online harassment and blackmail.
  2. Impersonation.
  3. The misuse of private images.

The “Accountability Gap” In a conservative society like Pakistan, the social consequences of “deepfakes” or AI-sexualized imagery are devastating. Unlike traditional manual editing, AI can mass-produce harmful content in seconds, making it nearly impossible for victims to stop the spread before their reputations are destroyed.

Expert Insight: Women and children are the most vulnerable. Civil society groups note that many victims suffer in silence due to social stigma, meaning the actual scale of AI abuse is likely much higher than official figures suggest.


The Policy Dilemma: Ban or Regulate?

The debate isn’t necessarily about banning platforms—which can stifle innovation and free speech—but about enforceable accountability.

For Pakistan to protect its citizens in 2026, the government needs to move beyond the broad goals of the National AI Policy 2025 and implement a National AI Safety Framework.

Proposed Solutions for AI Governance:

  • Mandatory Safety Filters: Forcing global platforms to localize their safety protocols for the Pakistani context.
  • Empowering the NCCIA: Giving the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency the technical tools to detect and block synthetic media before it goes viral.
  • Clearer Liability: Holding platforms responsible when their tools are used to facilitate mass harm.

Conclusion: A Crossroads for Pakistan’s Digital Future

Pakistan stands at a crossroads. We cannot allow technology to outpace our laws and ethics. The Grok controversy is a symptom of a larger gap in our digital governance that requires a policy-driven solution, not just temporary bans.

What do you think? Should generative AI platforms be held legally accountable when their tools are used to harm women and children?


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