Pakistan resorting to unlawful mass surveillance, snooping on lives of ordinary citizens: Report

Pakistan’s Secret Surveillance Tools: How Foreign Tech is Watching Citizens’ Every Move

Imagine your every text, email, call, and online search being watched without you knowing. That’s the alarming reality in Pakistan, where authorities are ramping up mass surveillance and online censorship with help from foreign companies. A new Amnesty International report, titled "Shadows of Control," reveals how this hidden global supply chain is fueling a dystopian nightmare for ordinary people.

The report spotlights advanced tools like the upgraded Web Monitoring System (WMS 2.0), a powerful firewall, and the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS). These systems act like invisible watchtowers, snooping on citizens’ digital lives non-stop. At first, Pakistan got this tech from a Canadian company, and it’s only gotten more sophisticated over time.

Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, puts it bluntly: "Pakistan’s Web Monitoring System and Lawful Intercept Management System operate like watchtowers, constantly snooping on the lives of ordinary citizens. In Pakistan, your texts, emails, calls, and internet access are all under scrutiny. But people have no idea of this constant surveillance and its incredible reach. This dystopian reality is extremely dangerous because it operates in the shadows, severely restricting freedom of expression and access to information."

Callamard warns that weak laws combined with cutting-edge tech are supercharging the government’s power to invade privacy, curb free speech, and limit peaceful protests. This creates a "chilling effect" that shrinks civic space, making it harder for people to speak out. Long-standing worries about unlawful surveillance and online censorship in Pakistan are only getting worse under the current political pressure.

The report points out that Pakistan’s legal system doesn’t really protect against mass surveillance. Laws lack strong safeguards, and even rules like warrant requirements in the Fair Trial Act get ignored. Meanwhile, authorities keep buying fancy surveillance and censorship tools from foreign firms. This boosts their ability to silence critics, targeting journalists, activists, and everyday folks.

One journalist shared a chilling story with Amnesty International about how constant monitoring forced him into self-censorship. After he published an exposé on corruption, Pakistani authorities ramped up surveillance on him and everyone he contacted. "Obviously, everything is monitored, be it email or calls," he said. "After the story, anyone I would speak to, even on WhatsApp, would come under scrutiny. (The authorities) would go to people and ask them, why did he call you? (The authorities) can go to these extreme lengths… now I go months without speaking to my family (for fear they will be targeted)."

This report shines a light on Pakistan’s growing digital crackdown, urging global action to protect human rights. As surveillance tech spreads, it’s a wake-up call for anyone concerned about privacy and free expression worldwide.