Pakistan tests secret China-like ‘firewall’ to tighten online surveillance
Al JazeeraThe new monitoring system could give the government unprecedented insights into citizens’ online use. Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s government has deployed Chinese technology to build what some senior officials familiar with the project are calling a new, national internet “firewall” that will allow authorities to monitor online traffic and regulate the use of popular apps with greater control than before. “Due to the diverse equipment in Pakistan’s internet infrastructure, testing on a live system was necessary, leading to some initial connectivity and service issues,” the official explained. ℹ️ ICYMI: Metrics show major social media platforms were restricted in #Pakistan for ~7 hours on Sunday evening during an online political gathering; the incident is consistent with previous instances of internet censorship targeting opposition leader Imran Khan and his party PTI https://t.co/AS9SdfwqoH pic.twitter.com/XXMYBhknXd — NetBlocks December 18, 2023 On November 24, PTI supporters launched a protest march towards Islamabad to seek Khan’s release from jail, during which the government once again restricted access to VPNs while shutting down mobile internet services across the country. Digital rights activist Farieha Aziz linked the “tremendous secrecy” and “palpable sense of urgency” surrounding the deployment of Pakistan’s new firewall system to the country’s political climate.
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