The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is using the Web Monitoring System (WMS) to block online applications and websites in Pakistan, according to a recent disclosure to the National Assembly.
According to a media report, the minister in charge of the cabinet division, which oversees the PTA, provided details of the system’s usage in a written response on August 26.
The PTA is authorized to block “unlawful content” under Section 37 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.
The minister confirmed that the WMS is employed for “internet content management” and revealed that the PTA has blocked 469 mobile applications, including 435 Android and 34 Apple apps, related to various categories.
The controversial Web Monitoring System, acquired in 2018 from the Canada-based company Sandvine for $18.5 million, was upgraded in December 2023 and tested on the landing stations for submarine internet cables SMW 3, 4, and 5, according to a PTA spokesperson. This upgrade was reportedly linked to national internet outages and slowdowns before the elections.
The WMS uses Deep Packet Inspection technology to identify and block VPN traffic and monitor all internet traffic to and from Pakistan.
However, the minister acknowledged that while the system attempts to block content at the gateway level, users can still access restricted content through VPNs, which bypass state policies.
