- Report claims foreign tech fuels state-led spying, affecting over 4 million citizens
- Says new firewall blocks dissent, shuts down opposition ahead of elections
- Notes unchecked surveillance threatens privacy, democracy, and civic space
ISLAMABAD:Pakistani authorities have allegedly been surveilling over four million citizens using mass surveillance technologies acquired from foreign private companies, further tightening control over the country’s digital landscape, according to a new report released by Amnesty International on Tuesday.
The report, titled “Shadows of Control: Censorship and Mass Surveillance in Pakistan,” claims that state institutions are unlawfully monitoring citizens—including ordinary users, journalists, and prominent politicians—through tools embedded in the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.
According to the rights watchdog, the authorities are allegedly employing the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) to monitor large segments of the population’s digital communications via local telecom service providers.
The report, citing internal documents, said all four major mobile operators in Pakistan have been directed to integrate with LIMS, suggesting that the actual number of surveilled phones could be even higher. Amnesty technologist Jurre van Berge told Reuters that telecom providers are legally required to ensure up to 2% of their entire subscriber base can be placed under surveillance at any given time.
The report also points to the use of a sophisticated Web Monitoring System (WMS 2.0) — a firewall capable of inspecting internet traffic and blocking up to two million active sessions simultaneously, further expanding the scope of state surveillance.
Developed by German company Utimaco, LIMS is described as a system that enables classification and storage of internet traffic and mobile communications, including SMS and voice calls, for authorities to review. Amnesty says this technology has been in place since 2007.
The report adds that Utimaco’s system allows the government to analyze data from telecom subscribers using nothing more than a phone number. This data is then processed through a platform called the Monitoring Centre Next Generation (McNG)—a surveillance product developed by Datafusion (formerly Trovicor).
With McNG, operators are able to view call metadata, browsing history, VPN or WhatsApp usage, and even the location of individuals. Amnesty warns that this system operates with minimal technical or legal safeguards, allowing for broad and unchecked monitoring.
The operation of LIMS came to public attention during the case of Bushra Bibi vs Federation of Pakistan, filed in the Islamabad High Court, following a series of leaked audio recordings involving political figures in 2022 and 2023. The case sought to investigate the legality of telecom interceptions.
According to the case proceedings, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had issued formal directives for telecom licensees to finance, import, and install LIMS at locations accessible to designated state agencies.
Amnesty warns that this form of technology-enabled repression is contributing to a “chilling effect” on civil liberties and creating a shrinking civic space in the country. The organization also flagged that Pakistan’s centralized data infrastructure leaves citizens increasingly vulnerable to such intrusions.
It further cautioned that the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2025, aimed at consolidating citizens’ digital identity and governance data, could deepen the surveillance regime.
Censorship and Internet Shutdowns
Amnesty’s report also highlights the widespread censorship of online content in Pakistan, enabled by the Web Monitoring System (WMS). It says that censorship efforts include content blocking, bandwidth throttling, and complete internet shutdowns during sensitive political periods.
While the original WMS was installed in 2018 by US-based company Sandvine, Amnesty reports that it has since been replaced by a more advanced version provided by Chinese firm Geedge Networks. This system reportedly resembles a commercialized version of China’s “Great Firewall.”
Installation and implementation were allegedly supported by international firms including Niagara Networks (USA), Thales (France), and New H3C Technologies (China).
According to Amnesty, more than 1.4 million URLs have been blocked since the enactment of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in 2016. It criticized the process for being “opaque and arbitrary,” with users rarely receiving any notice before access to online content is cut off.
Amnesty also documented at least 77 instances of internet shutdowns between 2016 and 2024, with 24 occurring in 2024 alone. These shutdowns have included both targeted content blocking and wider service suspensions—especially during the 2024 general elections and virtual rallies held by the PTI.
Drawing from data by the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), Amnesty revealed that multiple opposition websites—including those of PTI candidates and independent outlet Fact Focus—were blocked in the run-up to the 8 February 2024 general election.
The report said the new firewall system is being “effectively used by Pakistani telecom providers to obstruct crucial political communication and public discourse.”
Amnesty also cited the internet blackout in Balochistan, as well as similar shutdowns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noting that these measures are often deployed to suppress protests and political gatherings.
International Involvement and Human Rights Concerns
Amnesty identified four companies — Geedge Networks, Utimaco, Datafusion, and Niagara Networks — as having allegedly facilitated human rights abuses by enabling Pakistan’s surveillance infrastructure.
“Mass surveillance and unlawful censorship by Pakistani authorities represent systemic abuses of fundamental human rights,” Amnesty stated, urging urgent international and domestic action to curb unchecked digital repression.
The organization emphasized that without accountability, the expansion of these tools would continue to undermine democracy, free speech, and the right to privacy for millions of Pakistanis.
