#KeepItOn: authorities in Pakistan must stop the ongoing suppression of digital rights

We, the undersigned organizations, and members of the #KeepItOn coalition — a global network of over 334 human rights organizations from 105 countries working to end internet shutdowns — urge the government of Pakistan to immediately bring an end to the ongoing blatant violation of fundamental rights in the country. Authorities are restricting access to free and secure online spaces in multiple ways by imposing internet shutdowns, blocking access to specific content through a “firewall,” and restricting the use of virtual private networks (VPNs).

Pakistani authorities appear to be exponentially increasing their use of internet shutdowns and censorship to silence people. In 2023 alone, Access Now documented seven cases of shutdowns, most of which were used to disrupt opposition party mobilization, protests, and public expression. Since the beginning of 2024, we have documented at least 21 incidents of shutdowns in the country.

In addition to internet shutdowns, reports indicate that the government is installing a “firewall” to monitor and block access to “propaganda” or “unwanted” content. The installation of this firewall, which the Pakistani government refers to by the more anodyne “Web Management System,” has allegedly caused severe slowdowns in internet speeds across the country since August 2024. People in Pakistan have struggled to use the internet, and send and receive messages, images, videos, or voice notes on social media applications.

Official responses have been inconsistent and inadequate. While the government has attempted to justify internet shutdowns as necessary for security reasons, it has simultaneously denied responsibility for slow internet speeds, instead blaming the slowness of internet connectivity on VPN usage — a flawed and unfounded claim that leaves people with no answers on how their online privacy and free speech are affected. Moreover, the government’s attempts to require VPN registration could pose an even greater threat to people’s fundamental rights, including free speech online.

The ongoing internet throttling in the country has a devastating impact on people’s rights, daily lives, and businesses — including the banking sector, ride-hailing, and food delivery — as well as the country’s overall economy. People from all walks of life, such as IT professionals, digital marketers, content creators, remote job workers, and students, have been impacted by the ongoing internet disruptions. The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), the country’s IT trade body, has estimated that the domestic IT industry is losing over one million dollars per hour due to frequent internet shutdowns and previously warned that disruptions could cause a loss of approximately $300 million to the country’s already fragile economy. 

Despite these glaring repercussions, the government continues to sporadically and arbitrarily order internet shutdowns across the country. The shutdowns across different parts of Pakistan in November had the effect of suppressing access to information amid opposition protests in Islamabad and military operations in Balochistan. 

These recent examples bring the tally of documented internet shutdowns in Pakistan to at least 77 shutdowns since 2016. Earlier in 2024, the government of Pakistan shut down the internet on election day in the country citing security reasons — despite calls from human rights groups and promises by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and Election Commission to #KeepItOn throughout elections. Although internet access was restored once polls closed, authorities continued blocking access to X at the time of this statement. 

As groups that work to advance human rights in the digital age and continue to document the dire implications of internet shutdowns on people’s rights, we urge the government of Pakistan to urgently refrain from imposing any future shutdowns and take swift measures to restore internet connectivity across the country. Pakistan has an obligation, both under its national constitution and international human rights law, to uphold people’s rights at all times. Pakistan is bound by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which provide for the protection and promotion of the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, assembly, and access to information. Additionally, internet shutdowns are strongly condemned in international convenings, including the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 47/16, which denounces “the use of internet shutdowns to intentionally and arbitrarily prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information.” The UN Secretary-General and other experts have also affirmed that “blanket internet shutdowns and generic blocking and filtering of services are considered by United Nations human rights mechanisms to be in violation of international human rights law.” The people of Pakistan must have the ability to exercise their rights to free speech and expression, including through the press, as well as their rights to assembly, earn a livelihood, and engage in political participation — online and offline.

Recommendations:

The undersigned members of the #KeepItOn coalition urge the government of Pakistan, as well as other relevant actors:

• The international community must join civil society in condemning the internet shutdowns in Pakistan and urging the Pakistani government to restore full, unimpeded internet connectivity across the country.

• The government and the PTA to cease any activity that adversely impacts internet speed and access to an open, free, and secure internet;

• The government to publicly disclose all measures put in place to monitor online activity and censor content, including through a firewall, instructions to internet service providers, and directives to platforms;

• The government, including the PTA, to engage in meaningful public discussions, provide information requested by stakeholders, take into consideration their feedback, and set up regular channels for communication and feedback between the people, stakeholders, and officials; 

• The government to refrain from normalizing the use of internet shutdowns in response to key national events such as protests, as they have proven futile in resolving crises. Instead, we urge the government to work with stakeholders, including civil society, to find lasting solutions; 

• The government to withdraw its policy of VPN licensing or registration to allow people in Pakistan to access secure communication channels and prevent overbroad surveillance of all online activity; 

• Telecommunication companies and internet service providers to be transparent about any internet shutdown orders received, and challenge them as well as cooperate with civil society to publish data about throttling and shutdown requests with their subscribers to advance transparency and accountability; and

• The international community must join civil society in condemning the internet shutdowns in Pakistan and urging the Pakistani government to restore full, unimpeded internet connectivity across the country.

Signatories: