Islamabad — Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has alleged in a new report that Pakistan’s security and intelligence apparatus has systematically spied on millions of citizens, journalists, and prominent political leaders using advanced surveillance technologies procured from foreign companies.
Surveillance Powered by Chinese and Western Tech
According to the report, Pakistan’s surveillance network is built on technology from China and Western countries, which has become increasingly aggressive in recent years. Tools such as the Web Monitoring System (WPMS 2.0) and Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMSMS) reportedly reached Pakistan through supply chains involving Chinese and other foreign companies.
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Journalists and Politicians Under Watch
Amnesty’s report states that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and other security agencies are not just monitoring terrorism or external threats but are also keeping continuous watch on their own citizens. Journalists, opposition leaders, and human rights activists have had their phone calls, text messages, emails, and internet activities tracked.
Findings Backed by International Collaboration
The study was conducted in collaboration with Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, DW Studio, The Globe and Mail (Canada), and the Digital Security Lab. It found that the scale of surveillance in Pakistan is so vast that it poses a profound threat to personal privacy and freedom of communication.
The ‘Digital Bottleneck’ Model
Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard said that Pakistan’s surveillance system works on a “bottleneck model” — where every piece of data passing through the network comes under government scrutiny.
“Messages, emails, and phone calls sent in Pakistan are now entirely within the reach of state surveillance. It is difficult to estimate the full extent of the intrusion into the privacy of millions,” Callamard said.
Threat to Democratic Rights
Analysts believe this aggressive surveillance is not only a violation of civil liberties but also a direct threat to democratic institutions and a free press. The report further noted that Pakistan’s expansive digital monitoring infrastructure would not have been possible without technical solutions sourced from China, the U.S., and Europe.