Amnesty International: Millions of Pakistanis Monitored Through Chinese Firewall and Phone-Tapping Syste

Amnesty International: Millions of Pakistanis Monitored Through Chinese Firewall and Phone-Tapping Syste






Human rights organization Amnesty
International has said in a report that “millions of citizens in Pakistan are being monitored through a Chinese-made firewall and phone-tapping system.”

Amnesty’s latest report also claims that “Pakistan is running this surveillance and censorship system with the help of Chinese, European, and North American companies. Through it, critical content and dissenting voices on social media can be censored, which is a major example of state surveillance.”

So far, the Government of Pakistan has not issued a response to this report, while Amnesty International says that the government has not replied to any of its letters on the matter.

However, after a court hearing last year, on 21 August, at a Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology session, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez ur Rehman, admitted that “the federal government has ordered the installation of the firewall, and the PTA is implementing it.



What Amnesty International’s report claims






Amnesty’s recent report states:
Through the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), at least 4 million mobile phones can be tapped simultaneously. Meanwhile, the Web Management System 2.0 firewall used to filter and censor internet content can block 2 million internet sessions at one time.

It should be recalled that news of China’s firewall being used in Pakistan had circulated last year as well, when there were widespread complaints about severe internet slowdowns. During a court hearing on this issue, it was also revealed that telecom companies in Pakistan provide user data to intelligence agencies under a specific system called the Lawful Intercept Management System.

According to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, “lawful interception” means allowing the government access to private communications such as telephone calls or email messages.


Surveillance Technology & International Supply Chain


Amnesty’s report says that investigations reveal how Pakistani authorities obtained advanced surveillance and censorship tools through a secret global supply chain of foreign companies—particularly the new firewall known as the Web Monitoring System (WMS 2.0).

According to the report:

The WMS firewall was initially based on technology provided by the Canadian company Sandvine.

After Sandvine was dissolved in 2023, new technology from Gauge Networks (China), Niagara Networks (USA), and hardware/software from Thales (France) were used to build a new version of the firewall.

The report says: “Pakistan’s WMS operates like mass surveillance watchtowers and constantly spies on ordinary citizens.”

Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, said:
“Pakistan’s Web Monitoring System and Lawful Intercept Management System continuously track the lives of ordinary citizens. In Pakistan, your texts, emails, calls, and internet access are all being monitored. But people have no idea they are under constant surveillance. This grim reality is extremely dangerous because it operates in the shadows, severely restricting freedom of expression and access to information.”

She added: “It has been proven that the system lacks transparency, oversight, and accountability.”

Expert Opinions

The report also mentions that fictional names were used for the surveillance technologies, making it hard to get accurate information about them.
IT experts explained that:

The term Lawful Interception Management System (LIMS) was given, but once Chinese technology replaced Canadian systems, the new version was simply called Web Management System 2.0, though its function as a firewall remained unchanged.

Nighat Dad, Executive Director of the Digital Rights Foundation, said Amnesty’s report confirms long-standing fears.
She said:
“It has become clear that our system lacks transparency, oversight, and accountability, as this technology was used for political purposes—such as arresting activists who participated in protests.”

She added that:
“The LIMS technology is even more concerning. Although it is labeled as ‘lawful,’ in reality, it is entirely unlawful. There should be restrictions on the purchase and sale of such surveillance technologies.”

Farieha Aziz, co-founder of the digital rights group Bolo Bhi, said Amnesty’s report verifies last year’s suspicions that a firewall has indeed been installed to restrict internet access in the country.

According to her:

The Lawful Intercept Management System was already exposed.

This system is an example of what is also called “surveillance capitalism.”

She added:
“It has now been confirmed that this technology was purchased from foreign countries and installed here. There is ongoing debate that the sale of such technologies should be banned, as they pose serious threats to human rights. The way they are sold to governments and then used directly harms privacy and freedom of expression, because it means you are being listened to and your sources are no longer protected.”

She also pointed out:
“Concerns remain because not only is there targeted surveillance, but there is also mass surveillance in Pakistan. Through the firewall, authorities decide what content people can and cannot access. We saw how internet loading slowed down, then people turned to VPNs for access, but eventually VPNs were also blocked.”

According to her, the report also reveals which companies sold their hardware and software to Pakistan for this surveillance system.