[Islamabad] Pakistan has reportedly begun setting up a nationwide firewall to regulate internet usage. The firewall will control access to social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and X, and give the government the power to identify IP addresses associated with what it describes as “anti-national propaganda.”
Pakistan now joins countries including China, Iran, Turkey and Russia in implementing a national firewall to regulate internet content.
An Islamabad-based telecommunications official, on condition of anonymity, told The Media Line: “The firewall is aimed at identifying and restricting the sources of propaganda content. As a result, all ‘junk posts’ from both domestic and international sources will be screened by the firewall.”
He said the firewall would be similar to those in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries and its purpose would be to “keep out” propaganda.
Details of the firewall’s cost and operation have not been disclosed, although some reports have said China sold the system to Pakistan.
The government is also reportedly preparing to regulate virtual private networks (VPNs), services that allow internet users to hide their identities and hide their locations to circumvent restrictions. Citizens may be required to report any VPNs they use to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, and those who fail to do so could face penalties.
X is already banned
Social media platform “X” (formerly known as Twitter) was banned in Pakistan in April, leading many Pakistani X users to access the site via VPNs.
The Pakistani government has not made any official statement about the firewall, but Federal Law Minister Nazir Tarar recently hinted at legislation on social media. Multiple federal officials had not responded to The Media Line’s requests for comment at the time of writing.
Pakistan’s military recently condemned propaganda against state institutions on social media, calling it “digital terrorism.”
At the end of the 83rd Formation Commanders’ Conference, the Pakistan Army declared its “firm determination to combat and defeat the anti-military campaign being spread on online platforms.”
The meeting was chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the military media wing said the forum revealed that “politically motivated digital terrorism, supported by foreign collaborators, is aimed at sowing discouragement in Pakistan, creating discord among institutions especially the armed forces, and spreading lies and propaganda.”
Internet restrictions are not new in Pakistan, and the government has previously shut down nationwide internet access on multiple occasions. Various news sites, including those affiliated with newspapers, have been blocked. The Urdu and Pashto websites of the US state-run international news broadcaster Voice of America have also been blocked in Pakistan.
Firewalls are already in limited use in Pakistan, where government agencies use them to block certain websites and apps. Pakistan’s largest internet provider currently uses a firewall from Canadian software company Netsweeper.
A firewall system acts as a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks, monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing traffic based on security rules.
Firewalls, installed at a government level in countries like China and the Gulf States, can filter websites, block IPs and regulate internet traffic to enforce national policies and restrict access to undesirable content.
The use of firewalls is now being expanded across the country. Modern firewall technology is more efficient than older techniques, and the new system will make it easier for Pakistan to monitor social media content.
The Media Line spoke to several experts on the potential impact of setting up a firewall in Pakistan.
Professor Adrian Caramel, a South Asia expert and senior fellow at the Washington-based Arabian Peninsula Institute, told The Media Line that allowing a government to solely control the flow of information carries great risks.
“Such a scenario could lead to abuse of power and the suppression of dissent,” Caramel said.
“By adopting similar tactics to authoritarian regimes like Beijing, Moscow and Tehran, Pakistan could align itself with the totalitarian camp, undermining democratic values and fostering an environment conducive to censorship and state control of information,” he continued. “Without a countermeasure, governments could manipulate public opinion to suit their agendas, perpetuate misinformation and entrench their authority.”
He warned that heavy government censorship would threaten “fundamental principles of democracy and civic participation.”
Celia Mercier, South Asia director for Reporters Without Borders, said the internet crackdown was linked to a broader suppression of press freedom in the country.
“This is not in the election manifesto of political parties or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s [stated] “Support for journalists is needed amid allegations of electoral fraud and military interference in politics,” she said.
Fariha Aziz, co-founder of Karachi-based digital rights advocacy group Bolo Bi, told The Media Line that many questions remain about the scope of Pakistan’s firewall.
“While the latest deployment is still uncertain, speculation suggests it will centralize this at the gateway of all internet traffic, raising concerns about encryption, privacy and security of online transactions as well as information and speech,” she said.
She noted that firewalls could put online banking at risk by giving hackers easier access to bank passwords.
Aziz said Pakistan’s attempts to control the internet may not be as effective as those of China or Saudi Arabia. “This approach will likely fail because Pakistan does not have economic independence and its people are unlikely to accept such controls,” she said.
Syed Jowdut Nadeem, a digital rights activist and member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, told The Media Line that the Pakistani government has been wary of social media since the Arab Spring of 2011, when citizens used it as part of a coordinated effort to topple dictatorial regimes.
“Social media has democratized governance in Pakistan by enabling people to voice their opinions, hold those in power accountable and participate in public debate,” Nadeem said. “This empowerment clashes with the establishment’s tendency to control the narrative.”
He attributed the recent wave of internet restrictions to the popularity of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party, which has openly criticised government policies.
“Such restrictive measures could be counterproductive and isolate Pakistan, leading to alienation and loss of legitimacy,” Nadeem said.
“A nation needs democratic principles to function,” he continued. “Young people will find ways to get around these restrictions, and tensions between the government and the people will rise.”
