The Great Firewall of Pakistan Mimics China's Efforts to Almost Control Internet
Pakistan’s new internet firewall is a leap into the world of modern surveillance. This forward-thinking initiative is modeled after the venerable Chinese system, which is so quasi-effective that it’s routinely bypassed by teenagers armed with free VPNs. But be warned! Deeming this bold initiative as a failure is a gross oversimplification of its true brilliance.
The beauty of China’s system — and now Pakistan’s — is its very existence. The act of building a firewall, no matter how leaky, sends a powerful message: "We’re watching." The fact that it slows the nation’s internet to a crawl, stifling its usability and the digital economy, is immaterial. Every blocked webpage, every slowed app, and every frustrated dissident is a victory for the collective good.
This firewall’s strength lies not in its flawlessness but in its omnipresence. The mere act of trying to circumvent it affirms its authority. It keeps citizens alert, on edge, and ever mindful of the boundaries they’re eternally fenced in by. Pakistan is not merely ruining the internet; it’s normalizing goodthink on all levels.
SYNTAX ERROR
PRINTING JUST THE FACTS
- Pakistan has deployed a sophisticated national internet firewall using deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, enabling real-time monitoring, content blocking, and metadata collection across digital platforms.
- The firewall is estimated to cause economic losses of approximately US$300M annually, significantly harming Pakistan's IT sector, which currently generates $3.2B in export revenue.
- Internet disruptions have slowed speeds by 40%, affecting call centers, e-commerce, and digital businesses, while simultaneously suppressing political dissent and online activism.
- Despite implementation, VPN usage has grown over 100%, demonstrating citizens' resistance and the potential ineffectiveness of comprehensive internet censorship measures.
- The firewall raises critical global concerns about digital privacy, internet freedom, and the potential for systematic suppression of civil liberties under the guise of national security.
- Despite strict censorship and VPN bans, China last year saw VPN usage nearly double, showing that many tech-savvy citizens still bypass the "Great Firewall" to access global platforms and free expression.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Tribune, Voice of America, Oxford Analytica Rest of World, and Dawn.
REPORT ERROR Y/N?