The report of International Human Rights Organization Amnesty International has revealed that Pakistan is running a widespread monitoring campaign on its citizens. Chinese technology is being used under this supervision so that the government can suppress its opponents and independent voice. According to the report, an internet firewall (WMS 2.0) made of Chinese technology is being used in Pakistan, which censors social media and has the capacity to monitor about 40 lakh mobile phones in the country.
Chinese technology and cooperation of foreign companies
The report states that this firewall uses the US Divice of Niagara Networks of America, the Software of the Thales Company of France and the Server of the Chinese Government IT company. Earlier, this type of technology belonged to Sandvine company of Canada. Amnesty said that this system works in two ways- one system allows to listen to calls and messages, while the other blocks or slows down the websites and social media of the Internet.
A large number of websites and platform blocks
According to the report, Pakistan has currently blocked around 6.5 lakh web links. Access to major social media sites like YouTube, Facebook and X has also been limited. Amnesty also said that about 4 million mobile phones are being monitored all the time and the firewall can block 2 million internet sessions simultaneously.
Such a case was revealed
It has also been told in this report that this information has been received from a case registered in Islamabad High Court in 2024. The case was registered by Bushra Bibi, wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, when his personal calls were leaked. In the court, Pakistan’s Ministry of Defense and intelligence agencies denied these surveillance activities, but later the telecom regulator admitted that they had ordered the phone companies to install the LIMS system. Amnesty International has warned that such widespread monitoring makes citizens fear and people are afraid to raise their voice.