Pakistan Spies on Millions via Phone-Tapping, Chinese Firewall

Amnesty International has revealed that Pakistan employs extensive state surveillance through a phone-tapping system called the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), capable of monitoring at least 4 million mobile phones simultaneously, and a Chinese-built internet firewall known as Web Monitoring System 2.0 (WMS 2.0) that censors and blocks access to social media and websites. Both systems, powered by a mix of Chinese and Western technologies sourced from companies in countries including China, the US, France, Germany, Canada, and the UAE, work in tandem to suppress dissent and restrict free speech across the country. The surveillance infrastructure has been linked to a broader crackdown on political opposition, including the detention of activists following the military's break with former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Despite denials from Pakistan's defense agencies, the telecom regulator confirmed that mobile operators were mandated to install LIMS for use by designated agencies. Amnesty warns that this mass surveillance creates a chilling effect on society, deterring citizens from exercising their rights both online and offline, while raising concerns about foreign corporate complicity in enabling these human rights abuses. The report underscores the lack of effective legal safeguards in Pakistan against unlawful monitoring and censorship, highlighting the country’s increasingly oppressive political environment.