Freedom on the Net 2025: Pakistan

Summary

Freedom House's annual survey of internet freedom rates Pakistan "Not Free", with a score of 27 out of 100, unchanged from the previous edition. The 2025 report covers the period from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025 and, like the other country reports in this edition, is abridged. Pakistan scores 6 of a possible 25 points for obstacles to access, 13 of 35 for limits on content and 8 of 40 for violations of user rights. Its country profile records that during the period networks were restricted, social media platforms and websites were blocked, pro-government commentators were active online, and users were arrested.

Freedom House finds that internet freedom remained restricted as the government continued to expand censorship, particularly as the military establishment sought to curtail the influence of former prime minister Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Khan was imprisoned throughout the coverage period. In November 2024, when large protests in his support took place, the authorities restricted internet services across Islamabad.

Throughout the year, Pakistanis reported poor internet quality and disruptions to WhatsApp, Signal and other platforms. Researchers cited in the report found that these disruptions were likely linked to the deployment of new website monitoring and blocking technology, which news reports at the time described as a national "firewall".

The report records two significant changes to platform access. X, which had been restricted since February 2024, was unblocked in May 2025. It became accessible during the four-day military conflict between Pakistan and India that followed the April 2025 attack near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, and the platform became a major source of misinformation about the conflict, some of it from accounts linked to the Pakistani government.

The authorities also repeatedly threatened to block virtual private networks (VPNs) that had not been registered. Registration requirements issued in November 2024 required the disclosure of information identifying customers, but at the end of that month the authorities said they would not block unregistered VPN connections, reportedly after the Law Ministry concluded that the government lacked the legal standing to do so.

On the legal side, the report highlights the amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) signed into law in January 2025. Rights groups warned that their ambiguous language, including the new offence of spreading "false or fake" information, could be used to remove online speech the authorities consider undesirable.

The most severe consequences for users came under the blasphemy laws. At least five people were sentenced to death during the coverage period after being convicted of blasphemy over material posted online, although no executions were carried out. Freedom House's broader assessment of Pakistan describes a country where the military exerts enormous influence over elections, government and policy, intimidates the media and enjoys impunity, while Islamist militants attack the state and religious minorities.

Summary written by a Silenced editor from the report itself (467 words). Quotes and figures are the report's; read the full report for its sources and context.