How Pakistan is Surveilling Millions at Once with a China-Style Fi
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Pakistan quietly expands mass surveillance capabilities, deploying advanced phone-tapping systems and a Chinese-built national firewall to monitor, censor, and control digital communications across the country.
Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistan has quietly established one of the most powerful digital surveillance networks outside China, combining mass surveillance, internet monitoring, and data interception capabilities that mirror Beijing’s Great Firewall. An Amnesty International report released this month details how the country’s intelligence agencies — notably the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) — now have unprecedented control over citizens’ digital communications through two core systems: the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS) and the Web Monitoring System 2.0 (WMS 2.0).
Experts warn that this architecture threatens digital privacy in Pakistan and could mark the country’s transition toward a full-fledged “surveillance state.”
The Mechanics of Control: Two Systems, One Objective
Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS)
The LIMS is built into Pakistan’s telecom networks, letting agencies intercept calls, texts, and data directly from providers.
Originally for counterterrorism, it now works as a mass monitoring tool.
The ISI network linked to LIMS can record millions of calls, tracking both content and metadata.
Telecom firms must install this software, turning the system into a state-controlled surveillance grid.
Amnesty says Utimaco (Germany) and Datafusion (UAE) supplied key components.
Officials claim it targets criminals, but activists say journalists and opponents are also under watch.
Web Monitoring System 2.0 (WMS 2.0)
Complementing LIMS, the Web Monitoring System 2.0 — Pakistan’s national firewall — is a China-style internet censorship and surveillance system. The WMS enables the state to inspect, filter, and block online content in real time using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology.
- It can monitor over two million concurrent web sessions, identifying data packets, keywords, and encryption patterns across internet gateways.
- The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) oversees WMS, instructing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block or throttle sites deemed “anti-state,” “immoral,” or “anti-Islamic.”
- WMS 2.0 is modeled on China’s “Golden Shield Project,” developed with assistance from Geedge Networks, a Chinese cybersecurity firm known for censorship exports.
Amnesty’s investigation revealed that the WMS also integrates Western networking hardware from Thales (France) and Niagara Networks (USA) — underscoring the global supply chain behind Pakistan’s internet monitoring tools.
China’s Digital Blueprint in Pakistan
Observers note striking similarities between Pakistan’s WMS and China’s Great Firewall, which blends content censorship with mass user surveillance. Both rely on DPI technology to analyze traffic patterns, block VPNs, and restrict access to foreign platforms.
According to network researchers, Pakistan’s WMS 2.0 uses keyword-based filtering, detecting politically sensitive terms such as “Baloch rights,” “free speech,” or “missing persons.” When flagged, the system can redirect, throttle, or block traffic — effectively silencing dissent.
Digital rights activist Nighat Dad warns, “This is a copy-paste of China’s authoritarian digital model. Pakistan’s citizens are now being monitored by a machine that never sleeps.”
The Scale of Surveillance
Amnesty says Pakistan’s systems can monitor millions, with city networks routing all calls and messages through state hubs.
Furthermore, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — conflict-prone regions — experience the most aggressive internet monitoring and shutdowns. Activists report frequent throttling of social media and messaging apps, particularly during protests or political unrest.
The Pakistan firewall now blocks more than 650,000 web links, according to Bytes for All Pakistan, a digital rights NGO. Among the blocked domains are local news outlets, advocacy groups, and international media covering human rights violations.
Legal Cover, Minimal Oversight
Pakistan’s surveillance under PECA allows state monitoring, but vague laws enable abuse.
The ISI surveillance network, for instance, requires no judicial warrant for interception. Data requests from security agencies are processed directly by telecom operators and internet providers under confidentiality clauses.
Human rights lawyer Sadaf Khan emphasizes, “There’s no independent oversight or parliamentary review. Once the ISI or PTA orders interception, no civilian authority can question it.”
Privacy advocates condemn the lack of accountability, saying Pakistan’s laws are outdated and violate global rights standards.
Economic and Social Implications
The firewall’s impact extends beyond human rights. P@SHA says throttling, cloud blocks, and VPN bans cost the IT sector over $300 million yearly.nnually.
Freelancers and startups relying on platforms like YouTube, Google Drive, and X (formerly Twitter) face delays and disruptions. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s censorship regime discourages foreign tech investment due to concerns over arbitrary content restrictions.
Socially, the mass surveillance culture has created fear and self-censorship. Ordinary users are increasingly wary of discussing political topics online. As Amnesty notes, “The pervasive feeling of being watched is itself a form of control.”
The Global Supply Chain of Digital Authoritarianism
Amnesty’s investigation highlights how companies from China, Europe, and North America are indirectly enabling Pakistan’s surveillance infrastructure.
- Geedge Networks (China) supplies the firewall’s core DPI engines.
- Utimaco (Germany) and Datafusion (UAE) manage interception and data handling.
- Thales (France) and Niagara Networks (USA) provide hardware integration.
P@SHA estimates that internet throttling, cloud blocks, and VPN bans cost Pakistan’s IT sector over $300 million a year.
The Road Ahead
Authorities are expected to deepen Pakistan’s digital control apparatus as they use AI-driven analytics for behavioral profiling and predictive policing.. Analysts fear these capabilities could enable real-time tracking of activists, journalists, or political opponents.
Civil society groups are now urging reforms:
- Creation of an independent data protection authority.
- Transparency reports on surveillance activities.
- International pressure on companies aiding Pakistan’s censorship infrastructure.
Pakistan will become a regional model for China-style censorship, exporting repression under the banner of cybersecurity.
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