In Pakistan, personal details of everyday folks, top government officials, and even federal ministers are up for grabs on various websites—and no one’s stepping in to stop it. A recent report from the Express Tribune highlights how this data trading runs wild online, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other agencies failing to crack down.
Citizens have shared stories of shady deals happening not just on websites, but also through WhatsApp groups and social media pages. These sites openly peddle the information, yet authorities haven’t shut them down. A team investigating a major data leak, formed just weeks ago, now wants three more weeks to wrap up its findings.
This scandal ties into bigger worries about surveillance in Pakistan. Amnesty International’s new report shines a light on how the government ramps up mass surveillance and online censorship, often with help from foreign tech firms. It reveals a secret global network supplying these tools, letting Pakistani authorities spy on people without much pushback.
Amnesty points out that Pakistan’s laws offer little real protection. Rules like warrant requirements in the Fair Trial Act get ignored, while the country snaps up advanced surveillance gear to target journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens. “This oppressive setup silences dissent and boosts censorship,” the report warns, noting these issues have plagued the nation for years.
Experts see Pakistan’s growing surveillance state as a red flag for democracies everywhere. Another analysis describes how millions of Pakistanis live under constant digital watch—tracking mobile and online habits—without their consent or any solid oversight. Powered by local rules and international tech, this system shreds privacy and erodes democratic values, say rights groups. Global leaders have started calling it out, urging action against the unchecked industry profiting from it all.
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