Pakistan using Web Monitoring System to censor online content, admits minister

Lahore [Pakistan], August 29 : Pakistan's National Assembly was informed that the contentious Web Monitoring System (WMS) is being used to block online applications and websites in the country, Geo News reported.
In a recent session of the National Assembly, the minister responsible for overseeing the Pakistan Telecom Authority was questioned about the agency's procedures for restricting online content in the country.
The minister explained that the PTA is mandated to block "unlawful content" under Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.
While the Pakistani authority submits complaints and requests for removal and blocking of applications directly to hosting entities such as Apple and Google, it has deployed the WMS for "internet content management," the minister said.
He also admitted that the PTA has been using the WMS to block applications and websites within Pakistan.
"The PTA has till date blocked a total of 469 mobile applications (435 Android and 34 Apple) related to various categories including applications against the glory of Islam, indecent/immoral content, and fraudulent activities," the response stated.
Notably, the controversial Web Monitoring System (known also as the Web Management System) was acquired by Pakistan in 2018 from the Canada-based company Sandvine for USD 18.5 million, Geo News reported citing a report by Coda.
Earlier this month, Minister of State for Information Technology Shaza Khawaja Fatima claimed that the WMS was necessary to "deal with cyber security attacks in the country." However, the minister in charge of the cabinet division in response to the National Assembly made no mention of cyber security concerns when blocking content.
In December 2023, the WMS was further upgraded and tested on landing stations for internet submarine cables SMW 3, 4, and 5, a PTA spokesperson told Geo TV. The Pakistani authority claims that this "upgrade" led to national internet outages and slowdowns prior to the elections.
The minister in charge of the cabinet division admitted to the National Assembly that despite its attempt to block content at the gateway level the content could still be accessed in Pakistan through VPNs, adding that VPN users who "bypass the gateway through their private traffic are also bypassing the state policy regarding banned content."
Social media platform, X (formerly known as Twitter) has been officially blocked in Pakistan since February 17, and the website of the opposition political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has remained inaccessible since before the elections.
However, government officials, including ministers and the prime minister himself, have been using X despite its official ban. But, it is unclear whether they are accessing the platform through VPNs, as reported by Geo News.