ISLAMABAD | SEPTEMBER 13,2025 | SKY LINK TIMES|
Pakistan’s current civil-military regime faces a critical choice: strengthen democracy through transparency and accountability or deepen its reliance on authoritarian digital surveillance. A new report by The Milli Chronicle highlights how Pakistan is increasingly adopting China’s digital authoritarian model, raising serious concerns for the country’s future.
From Scattered Spying to Organised Surveillance
For years, Pakistan’s Digital Surveillance accused of spying on its own citizens—through bugged hotel rooms, leaked phone calls, and occasional internet blackouts. But what were once scattered efforts have now evolved into a highly organised surveillance system, powered by new technologies and international partnerships.
At the centre of this transformation is Pakistan’s growing dependence on China.
The China Connection
Beijing, often described as the global architect of digital authoritarianism, has become Pakistan’s key partner. Under China’s Digital Silk Road initiative, countries like Pakistan have received advanced surveillance systems, censorship firewalls, and digital monitoring tools.
In 2023, Pakistan introduced the Web Monitoring System 2.0 (WMS 2.0) with the help of Chinese firms such as Geedge Networks and China Electronics Corporation. Similar to China’s Great Firewall, WMS 2.0 can:
- Block websites
- Detect and restrict VPNs
- Throttle internet traffic
- Suppress dissent before it spreads
This system goes beyond traditional censorship, aiming to control public opinion in real time.
European Systems Without European Safeguards
In addition to Chinese tools, Pakistan has adopted European-made systems like the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), which can track the online activities of millions simultaneously. Unlike Europe, where strict legal safeguards exist, Pakistan’s use of such systems comes with no oversight or accountability, giving spy agencies near-total freedom.
Targets: Journalists and Dissidents
Although authorities defend these systems in the name of national security, critics argue the real targets are journalists, activists, and political opponents. Reports of:
- Leaked WhatsApp calls
- Intimidation of human rights workers
- Blocked investigative reports
- Internet blackouts in Balochistan
all point to an environment where dissent is equated with disloyalty.
Democracy at Risk
By adopting Chinese-style surveillance, Pakistan is normalising the criminalisation of dissent. Analysts warn that this shift could embolden other fragile democracies to follow suit, undermining democratic norms across the region.
The report stresses that Pakistan stands at a crossroads:
- One path leads to transparency, accountability, and rule of law.
- The other entrenches a digital surveillance state that silences its citizens.
For now, critics argue, Pakistan’s leaders seem more inclined toward the latter, risking the country’s democratic fabric in exchange for control through fear.
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