Pakistan deploys digital technology to spy on citizens

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Pakistani authorities are monitoring more than 4 million citizens using advanced digital tools purchased from foreign private companies, such as China’s Geedge Network, according to a recent report by Amnesty International, titled "Shadow of Control: Censorship and Mass Surveillance in Pakistan".

At the core of Pakistan’s surveillance operation are two powerful systems: the Web Monitoring System (WMS 2.0), which acts as a national firewall that can block internet access, virtual private networks (VPNs), and specific websites, and the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), a mass surveillance platform that allows authorities to eavesdrop on phone calls, text messages, internet activities, and even geolocation data through domestic telecommunications providers.

LIMS is supported by technology primarily supplied by a German company, Utimaco, and an Emirati company, Datafusion. Utimaco’s LIMS enables authorities to analyse subscriber data from telecommunications companies, while the processed information is accessible through Datafusion’s Monitoring Centre Next Generation.

The methods may have changed, but Pakistan actually began surveilling its citizens decades ago. In the 1990s, such activities resulted in the rise and fall of governments, and Pakistan’s surveillance has continued to grow over time, according to a report in The Diplomat by Osama Ahmad.

Nighat Dad, the founder and executive director of Digital Rights Foundation, told The Diplomat: "Available research and reports suggest that Pakistan has developed significant surveillance capabilities over the past decade."

In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that state surveillance was illegal, holding it to be a breach of Article 14 of the Constitution, which secures the right to privacy.

"Despite the legal and institutional safeguards and Pakistan’s international commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to prevent arbitrary interference, the absence of a comprehensive data protection law and regulation of surveillance technologies leaves citizens vulnerable to harassment, abuse, and continuous monitoring, undermining the effectiveness of existing protections," said Dad.

Pakistani authorities defend their breach of the digital rights of citizens, citing security concerns or morality issues. However, there are increasing fears that these actions are primarily aimed at suppressing dissent.

When Pakistan banned X in February 2024, and users accessed the social media site through virtual private networks (VPNs), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority developed a plan to regulate VPNs by requiring them to be registered. The Council of Islamic Ideology declared the usage of VPNs un-Islamic. As an excuse, the government claimed that the crackdown on VPNs came as a result of their misuse by militant groups. Perhaps more relevantly, X was being used at that time to organise protests by individuals associated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the report states.

The authorities have also repeatedly turned their attention to TikTok, which they believe promotes immorality. Recently, a lawmaker in the Punjab Assembly submitted a resolution to permanently ban the app on moral grounds.

Beyond blanket banning of social media platforms, Pakistan’s authorities also digitally spy on Pakistanis. Journalists, activists, and politicians are believed to be among the primary targets of mass surveillance in Pakistan, the report states.

At times, private video and audio recordings of opposition politicians are leaked to weaken them and gain an advantage. This unethical tactic has long been prevalent in Pakistani politics.

"Though surveillance in Pakistan is purported to be for national security concerns, it is essentially to silence dissent across the country," Usama Khilji, director of Bolo Bhi, told The Diplomat. "Most of the victims of surveillance are political oppositions, journalists, or activists working on human rights or other critical social issues."

While the military often faces criticism for mass surveillance and similar practices, other institutions, such as the judiciary and Parliament, also share responsibility for this unchecked behaviour, as they fail to prevent the mandated authorities from carrying out such operations.

"The state institutions are equally complicit in this extensive surveillance because illegal surveillance happens without the consent of the individual and without a warrant from the court," Khilji said.

While the findings of Amnesty International are alarming, they are consistent with Pakistan’s long history of digital repression. From the blockade of X (formerly Twitter) to internet disruptions, amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), and other restrictive measures, the state has repeatedly curtailed digital rights and free expression, the report added.

--IANS

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