Pakistan Implements Extensive Surveillance on Citizens, Rights Group Reports

Pakistan has rolled out an expansive digital and communications surveillance infrastructure that rights groups say represents one of the broadest systems of state monitoring outside China. According to new findings, the program allows intelligence agencies unprecedented access to citizens’ private communications through phone tapping and an internet firewall that enables sweeping censorship of social media platforms and websites. The report links these tools to broader state efforts to restrict dissent and control political opposition in the country’s volatile landscape.

A Dual System of Phone and Internet Monitoring

At the core of this surveillance scheme are two technologies: the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) and the Web Monitoring System 2.0 (WMS 2.0). Together, they give state authorities real-time capacity to tap millions of calls, intercept text messages, and filter digital traffic across Pakistan’s major networks.

LIMS, developed with hardware and software provided by a German firm, has been integrated with telecom operators nationwide. Under directives from Islamabad, every major mobile carrier operating in Pakistan was required to connect its systems to LIMS. Reports suggest the tool can monitor over 4 million phone lines simultaneously, though some experts believe the actual capacity could be considerably higher. Once tapped, these communications can be recorded, stored, and analyzed by state-run monitoring centers, some of which are operated in partnership with a United Arab Emirates–based company.

WMS 2.0 provides the complementary function of controlling online activity. Built using technology from a Chinese supplier with additional integration from U.S. and European equipment manufacturers, this national internet firewall is able to inspect up to 2 million active internet sessions simultaneously. Authorities can use it to block access to websites, censor keywords, and impose slowdowns that effectively stifle digital activism. Since its deployment, platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) have repeatedly faced partial or total blackouts, alongside restrictions on nearly 650,000 websites and links.

Historical Context of Surveillance in Pakistan

Surveillance is not an entirely new phenomenon in Pakistan, a country that has long wrestled with balancing national security against civil liberties. Military regimes in the 1970s and 1980s routinely monitored political dissidents, journalists, and student leaders through rudimentary wiretaps and human intelligence. However, the latest systems represent a dramatic evolution in both scale and sophistication.

What makes today’s situation different is the convergence of multiple crises. The 2022 political falling-out between the powerful military establishment and former Prime Minister Imran Khan triggered a turbulent cycle of protests, arrests, and crackdowns. Khan’s imprisonment and the detention of thousands of his supporters marked a turning point, prompting the state to tighten control over all channels of communication. Unlike earlier eras of repression, which were built on physical coercion and raids, the current wave relies heavily on digital monitoring, making dissent more difficult to organize and speech easier to suppress.

Confirmations from Leaked Court Documents

Evidence pointing to the existence of LIMS and WMS 2.0 recently surfaced in an Islamabad court case in 2024. The proceedings involved leaked phone calls of Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, which had circulated on social media. Court papers revealed a glaring contradiction in official positions: while the Ministry of Defense and intelligence agencies denied the capacity to intercept calls, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority acknowledged installing LIMS for use by designated security bodies. Additional supporting documentation—including procurement contracts, trade records, and leaked technical specifications—corroborates the deployment of the surveillance infrastructure.

Impact on Internet Freedom and Regional Connectivity

The effects of the system have been felt most profoundly at the regional peripheries. In Balochistan, where separatist groups have clashed with security forces for decades, authorities have used internet restrictions to cut communities off from broader national and international communication. Reports of months-long blackouts, combined with allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, have created an atmosphere of fear and isolation in the province, though the military continues to deny all such accusations.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, internet filters and slowdowns have disrupted daily life for ordinary citizens, choking small businesses that rely on digital markets and freelancers whose livelihoods depend on uninterrupted connectivity. Students preparing for exams or attempting remote learning also face barriers, further highlighting the social and economic costs of extensive surveillance tools.

Economic Consequences of Widespread Surveillance

The economic implications are increasingly difficult to ignore. Pakistan’s burgeoning tech sector, which has grown rapidly over the past decade, now faces new headwinds due to censorship and connectivity instability. International investors that once viewed the country as a promising hub for digital services are turning cautious. Startups in the e-commerce, fintech, and freelance IT outsourcing industries are reporting significant losses stemming from intermittent restrictions on payment gateways, communication apps, and video conferencing platforms.

A prolonged climate of uncertainty could stall Pakistan’s ambition to increase its yearly IT exports, which currently account for billions in revenue. Comparative examples from neighboring countries underscore the risks: India’s periodic regional internet shutdowns have cost its economy an estimated billions of dollars in lost productivity, while Bangladesh has faced setbacks in growing its outsourcing industry due to rigid digital controls. Pakistan’s market, still more fragile, may face harsher consequences.

Comparison with Global Surveillance Practices

Globally, Pakistan’s system bears striking similarities to monitoring models observed in China and Iran. China operates one of the world’s most sophisticated internet control networks—the “Great Firewall”—which combines real-time censorship with deep monitoring of citizens’ online behavior. Iran, meanwhile, has developed a “National Information Network” that allows authorities to pull the plug on worldwide internet access while keeping a domestic intranet alive.

Rights experts argue that Pakistan’s adoption of a hybrid system, with equipment sourced from multiple international vendors, speaks to how surveillance technology is proliferating on global markets. Tools that were once prohibitively expensive and limited to a handful of countries are now becoming accessible to states with mid-level budgets, allowing more governments to adopt similar approaches to control dissent.

Public Reaction and Chilling Effects

Within Pakistan, the awareness of increasing surveillance has created what technologists describe as a “chilling effect.” Citizens are growing more cautious in their conversations, both online and offline, fearing that their words could be intercepted and used against them. Journalists, activists, and lawyers report self-censoring sensitive discussions, while ordinary families avoid talking about politics over mobile networks. The result, said experts, is a narrowing of public discourse that diminishes democratic participation and weakens civic institutions.

Ben Wagner, a European professor who studies human rights and technology, warned in a recent interview that the combination of mass call interception and internet filtering represented “a troubling development.” He noted that while other countries have one or the other tool in place, Pakistan’s effort to fuse both systems into an integrated framework makes the environment particularly restrictive.

Lack of Government Accountability

Attempts to obtain comments from Pakistan’s technology, interior, and information ministries have so far gone unanswered. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, which oversees the country’s network infrastructure, has maintained only that it operates within the national legal framework. Critics argue this lack of transparency underscores a deeper problem: without independent oversight, citizens have little recourse to challenge wrongful monitoring or censorship orders.

Historically, Pakistan’s judiciary has occasionally intervened to demand accountability from state institutions. However, given the military’s dominant role in national security matters, experts believe courts may be reluctant to confront security agencies directly on surveillance-related issues.

Outlook for Civil Rights and Technology in Pakistan

The expansion of mass surveillance in Pakistan highlights a growing global trend of governments tightening control over digital spaces. For a country already grappling with political instability, economic strain, and regional insurgencies, the long-term costs of sacrificing digital freedoms may be significant. Suppression of dissent risks fueling deeper resentment, particularly among younger Pakistanis, who have found in social media a platform for both self-expression and social entrepreneurship.

The future trajectory remains uncertain. Pakistan may continue deepening its reliance on surveillance technology, following in the footsteps of China and Iran, or it could face mounting resistance from civil society groups, international watchdogs, and technology investors. What is clear is that the digital landscape in Pakistan is entering a decisive era, where the balance between security and freedom is being redrawn at the expense of ordinary citizens’ rights.