Photo and Video Consent Form (Pakistan)

A Photo and Video Consent Form in Pakistan grants permission for the stated activity and documents the terms on which that consent is given.

The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA 2016) is the primary statute in Pakistan governing crimes committed through information and communications technology. Section 20 of PECA 2016 creates the offence of cyberstalking, which includes the unauthorised publication of a person's image or information likely to cause harm, annoyance, distress, or injury. Section 21 of PECA 2016 specifically addresses the offence of publishing or transmitting an obscene image of a person — carrying a punishment of up to 7 years' imprisonment and a fine. Section 24 of PECA 2016 criminalises interfering with a person's privacy through electronic means, including the unauthorised capture and transmission of a person's image or voice. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime Wing, established under the FIA Act 1974, investigates and prosecutes PECA offences related to non-consensual image sharing.

The Copyright Ordinance 1962 (Ordinance No. XXXIV of 1962) grants copyright in original photographs and audiovisual works to the creator — typically the photographer or videographer. Section 13 of the Copyright Ordinance 1962 provides that copyright in a work subsists for the life of the author plus 50 years. However, the subject of a photograph or video — the person whose image is captured — has a right to privacy and dignity that may conflict with the photographer's copyright where the image is used in ways the subject did not consent to. A Photo and Video Consent Form resolves this potential conflict by giving the photographer and user express authorisation from the subject for specified uses.

Article 14 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 guarantees the inviolability of the dignity of man and the right to privacy. Article 19 guarantees freedom of speech and expression. Pakistani courts have increasingly recognised a common law and constitutional right to privacy that protects individuals from unauthorised exploitation of their image and likeness. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has addressed privacy rights in several landmark judgments, and High Courts have granted injunctions against unauthorised publication of individuals' images and videos. A written consent form signed by the subject is the primary defence against allegations of privacy violation or PECA offences.

The Personal Data Protection Bill (currently in legislative progress in Pakistan) — modelled on the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — will, when enacted, impose additional requirements for consent to processing of personal data including biometric data (photographic and video images constitute biometric data under the Bill). Organisations that capture and process images of individuals should anticipate and prepare for the data protection consent requirements under the forthcoming legislation.

A Photo and Video Consent Form in Pakistan is required across a wide range of commercial, media, educational, medical, and event contexts where a person's image or likeness will be captured and used.

A Photo and Video Consent Form is needed when a media organisation — a newspaper, television channel, digital news portal, or social media content producer — captures footage of an individual for publication. While news coverage in public places may fall within the freedom of expression protections under Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 and the press freedom framework, commercial use of an individual's image for editorial or entertainment content requires a consent form, particularly when the content will be broadcast on PEMRA-regulated television channels or distributed on digital platforms.

A Photo and Video Consent Form is required when a school, college, or university captures photographs and videos of students for use in prospectuses, websites, social media accounts, and promotional material. Educational institutions in Pakistan must obtain parental consent for photographs of minors (below 18 years) — the right to privacy of children is additionally protected by the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act 2020 and provincial child protection legislation including the Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Act 2010.

A Photo and Video Consent Form is needed when a corporate employer photographs or films employees for use in company marketing materials, training videos, annual reports, and websites. The employer-employee relationship does not imply consent to image use — a separate written consent form is required under the privacy principles increasingly recognised by Pakistani courts and in anticipation of the Personal Data Protection Bill.

A Photo and Video Consent Form is required when a hospital, clinic, or medical research institution photographs or films patients for medical records, medical education, research publications, or telemedicine purposes. Clinical photography of patients is subject to the informed consent requirements of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) Code of Ethics and the Helsinki Declaration on medical research ethics.

A Photo and Video Consent Form is needed when an event organiser — wedding photographer, corporate event manager, sports organisation, or festival organiser — captures photographs and videos of attendees and intends to use the footage commercially or publish it on social media platforms. Mass events attended by large numbers require a consent mechanism — typically a notice at entry combined with a consent clause in the ticket purchase conditions, supplemented by individual consent forms for images where subjects are identifiable.

A valid Photo and Video Consent Form in Pakistan under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, the Copyright Ordinance 1962, and the constitutional right to privacy under Article 14 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 must contain the following essential elements.

Subject's Identity: Full name of the person giving consent, their CNIC number (for adults), date of birth, and contact information. For minors below 18 years, the parent's or legal guardian's name, CNIC number, and signature are required — the minor's own name should also be stated.

Capture Details: Description of the photographic, video, or audio recording activity — including the occasion (wedding, corporate event, school function, medical procedure, film production), the date and location, and the identity of the photographer, videographer, or organisation responsible for capturing the images.

Scope of Authorised Use: A precise description of the permitted uses of the images and footage — for example, publication on the organisation's website, social media accounts (specifying platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), print brochures, television broadcasts on PEMRA-licensed channels, medical education materials, or news articles. The more specific the description, the clearer the boundaries of the consent.

Geographic and Duration Limits: Whether the consent is limited to Pakistan or is worldwide (important for digital content that can be accessed globally), and whether the consent is for a specific period or is permanent. Many media organisations prefer perpetual worldwide licences — the subject should understand and accept these terms.

Exclusions and Restrictions: Any uses explicitly excluded from the consent — for example, the subject may consent to editorial use but not to commercial advertising, or may consent to internal corporate use but not to third-party distribution. The form should state whether the user may sublicence the images to third parties.

Consideration: Whether the consent is given for free (gratuitous) or in exchange for a payment, product, service, or other benefit. Paid consent is more commercially enforceable than gratuitous consent. If payment is made, the amount and payment terms should be stated.

Right to Withdraw: Whether the subject has a right to withdraw consent and, if so, under what conditions and with what notice period. Digital publication may make withdrawal impractical in some circumstances — this should be clearly stated to the subject before they sign.

PECA Compliance Declaration: A statement by the user that they will not use the images or footage in any manner that contravenes the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, including no publication of intimate images without consent under Section 21 of PECA 2016, and no use likely to harass, intimidate, or cause distress under Section 24 of PECA 2016.

Forms-legal.com provides this Photo and Video Consent Form (Pakistan) template as a practical starting point compliant with PECA 2016, the Copyright Ordinance 1962, and Pakistan's constitutional privacy framework. Organisations capturing and using images of identifiable individuals — particularly children and medical patients — should obtain specialist legal advice to confirm their consent process also complies with sector-specific regulations (PEMRA regulations, PMDC Code of Ethics, educational institution regulations) and the forthcoming Personal Data Protection legislation.

Additional compliance elements for a Photo and Video Consent Form (Pakistan) used in Pakistan include: Under Pakistani law, the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 governs Muslim marriage (nikah), divorce (talaq), maintenance, and dower (mehr). The Family Courts Act 1964 establishes Family Courts with jurisdiction over matrimonial disputes. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issues CNIC, NICOP, and birth/death certificates. The Guardian and Wards Act 1890 governs child custody. The Federal Shariat Court reviews laws for Islamic compliance. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Pakistan-compliant documentation.