According to a recent report by Amnesty International, titled “Shadow of Control: Censorship and Mass Surveillance in Pakistan,” Pakistani authorities are monitoring more than 4 million citizens using advanced tools purchased from foreign private companies, such as China’s Geedge Network.
At the core of Pakistan’s surveillance operation are two powerful systems: the Web Monitoring System (WMS 2.0), which acts as a national firewall that can block internet access, virtual private networks (VPNs), and specific websites, and the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), a mass surveillance platform that allows authorities to eavesdrop on phone calls, text messages, internet activities, and even geolocation data through domestic telecommunications providers.
The earlier version of the WMS or WMS 1.0. in Pakistan was enabled by a Canadian company. A newer version, also known as the National Firewall, was put into place in 2023 using technology from Geedge Network.
LIMS is supported by technology primarily supplied by a German company, Utimaco, and an Emirati company, Datafusion. Utimaco’s LIMS enables authorities to analyze subscriber data from telecommunications companies, while the processed information is accessible through Datafusion’s Monitoring Center Next Generation (McNG).
The methods may have changed, but Pakistan actually began surveilling its citizens decades ago. In the 1990s, such activities resulted in the rise and fall of governments, and Pakistan’s surveillance has continued to grow over time.
Nighat Dad, the founder and executive director of Digital Rights Foundation, told The Diplomat, “Available research and reports suggest that Pakistan has developed significant surveillance capabilities over the past decade.”
In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that state surveillance was illegal, holding it to be a breach of Article 14 of the Constitution, which secures the right to privacy. The ruling came in a case concerning the phone tapping of judges, senior officials, and politicians, allegedly carried out on the instructions of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The Court emphasized that privacy is a fundamental constitutional guarantee, extending far beyond the private sphere of the home.
While there are laws in place that prohibit authorities from conducting arbitrary surveillance, these laws are often poorly implemented and don’t adequately address all aspects of citizens’ internet rights.
“Despite the legal and institutional safeguards and Pakistan’s international commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to prevent arbitrary interference, the absence of a comprehensive data protection law and regulation of surveillance technologies leaves citizens vulnerable to harassment, abuse, and continuous monitoring, undermining the effectiveness of existing protections,” said Dad.
Justifications and Targets
Pakistani authorities offer several justifications for infringing on the digital rights of their citizens. Sometimes, they cite security concerns; at other times, they reference morality and similar reasons. However, there is a growing fear that these actions may primarily serve to suppress dissent.
When Pakistan banned X in February 2024, and users accessed the social media site through virtual private networks (VPNs), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority developed a plan to regulate VPNs by requiring them to be registered. The Council of Islamic Ideology declared the usage of VPNs un-Islamic. As an excuse, the government claimed that the crackdown on VPNs came as a result of their misuse by militant groups. Perhaps more relevantly, X was being used at that time to organize protests by individuals associated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan
The authorities have also repeatedly turned their attention to TikTok, which they believe promotes immorality. Recently, a lawmaker in the Punjab assembly submitted a resolution to permanently ban the app on moral grounds.
Beyond blanket banning of social media platforms, Pakistan’s authorities also digitally spy on Pakistanis. Journalists, activists, and politicians are believed to be among the primary targets of mass surveillance in Pakistan.
At times, private video and audio recordings of opposition politicians are leaked to weaken them and gain an advantage. This unethical tactic has long been prevalent in Pakistani politics.
“Though surveillance in Pakistan is purported to be for national security concerns, it is essentially to silence dissent across the country,” Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, told The Diplomat. “Most of the victims of surveillance are political oppositions, journalists, or activists working on human rights or other critical social issues.”
While the military often faces criticism for mass surveillance and similar practices, other institutions, such as the judiciary and parliament, also share responsibility for this unchecked behavior, as they fail to prevent the mandated authorities from carrying out such operations.
“The state institutions are equally complicit in this extensive surveillance because illegal surveillance happens without the consent of the individual and without a warrant from the court,” shared Khilji.
Recurring Patterns of Digital Rights Violations
While the findings of Amnesty International are alarming, they are consistent with Pakistan’s long history of digital repression. From the blockade of X (formerly Twitter) to internet disruptions, amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), and other restrictive measures, the state has repeatedly curtailed digital rights and free expression.
In 2024, the PTA reported blocking more than 1.4 million URLs since the passage of PECA in 2016, with 109,771 URLs blocked during the 2023-2024 financial year. Out of these 109,771 URLs, the majority were blocked for reasons of morality (55,723), national security (33,634), and incitement of hate based on religion (13,422). However, no precise definitions of these terms are provided under the law. The PTA has claimed to have processed 75,393 URLs for blocking in 2023 and 1,191,050 in 2022. This level of activity reflects the unchecked power held by the authority.
An amendment to the PECA law earlier this year further restricted internet freedom and imposed harsher penalties and fines for violations. This legislation prompted protests from the Pakistani journalist community and civil society, but to no avail.
After the amendment was enacted, several individuals were arrested by the authorities, and cases were registered against others, including a case by the Federal Investigation Agency against popular human rights activist, Jalila Haider. Although journalists faced arrests before this amendment, the increased punishments for spreading disinformation or fake news have further diminished the space for free speech, creating an atmosphere of fear and concern.
Shahid Ahmad*, a digital journalist, told The Diplomat, “I cannot work like I used to before. I am consumed by constant fear, thinking that I or my family could be harmed. Nobody knows what fake news or information is, because it’s not clearly defined.”
“They could come for you anytime if they don’t like what you’re posting, even if that is not fake.”
In July this year, a court ordered a ban on 27 YouTube channels at the request of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for sharing false information. These channels are operated by individuals who oppose the current government. The action appeared to prioritize the suppression of dissenting voices rather than genuinely addressing the issue of misinformation.
Global internet and digital rights watchdogs have been monitoring the internet situation in Pakistan. According to Keep It On, a global coalition of human rights organizations that campaigns against internet shutdowns and digital censorship worldwide, Pakistan has implemented at least 77 internet shutdowns between 2016 and 2024, with 24 of those incidents occurring in 2024 alone. This trend indicates a growing reliance on internet shutdowns.
The Freedom House also termed Pakistan as not free in its Freedom On The Net 2024 report, and gave the country a score of 27/100.
Concerns have also been raised about the illegal use of citizens’ data by malicious actors both domestically and internationally. A few months ago, the National Cyber Emergency Response Team of Pakistan (PKCERT) issued a warning stating that the login credentials and passwords of over 180 million internet users in Pakistan had been compromised in a global data breach. They urged individuals to take immediate protective measures.
PKCERT identified the breach as involving a publicly accessible, unencrypted file containing more than 184 million unique account credentials. Dozens of websites were offering sensitive data at low prices, with mobile location information available for 500 rupees (less than $2), detailed mobile records for 2,000 rupees, and international travel details for 5,000 rupees. This serious violation of privacy rights at such a low price has shocked many, as no one knows where their data will be used or for what purposes.