Digital activism is leveraging the internet and social media to reach an audience and foreground one’s voice. Social media platforms have become a hub of activism for over 111 million Pakistanis who have access to the internet. Utilizing platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok, the youth of Pakistan are making an impact by spotlighting their issues and running campaigns using the technology. When a transgender cultural event, Scrap Fest, was prohibited from going offline, organizers chose to stream it online. In the same vein, political parties like Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) held massive virtual rallies to foreground their agenda online and surpass media blackouts. These instances manifest the changing trend of activism from the conventional ways to a new digitalized fashion, challenging the stifling role of the state.
However, this online space, according to Freedom House, is constantly facing different challenges, with frequent internet outages being one of them. Apart from jamming the internet, the digital activists face hurdles such as social media censorship, legislative restrictions, and personal threats.
Frequent criminal charges are faced by social media critics and digital activists. In early 2024, the authorities lodged FIRs against dozens of journalists and lawyers for, apparently, spreading “fake news” regarding a rape in a college. One other instance is when a TikTok user was arrested after posting critical content.
Another report by Freedom House documented the misuse of the Prevention of Electronics Crimes Act (PECA) and how it is exploited to suppress the political and general dissenters by incorporating vague “misinformation” and “defamation” clauses.
During the general elections of 2024, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) cut off the internet service for several days without any beforehand notice. As per Netblocks, such disruptions are caused to deter the unity of political organizations and journalists.
An incident of the same caliber was reported when mobile service as well as the internet was blacked out throughout the country. Amnesty International condemned the act by calling it a “blunt attack on freedom of expression.”
Such disruptions render unprecedented losses not only to the economy of the country but also to the image of the state. The marginalized voices are stifled during such events.
Gender-based abuse is prevalent in the online realm in Pakistan. Women journalists, activists, and politicians are targets of severe online harassment. Aurat March organizers fall prey to coordinated troll campaigns carried out online; even rape threats are charged against women participating in or supporting events related to feminist movements. Moreover, Asma Shirazi, a senior journalist, has been the victim of repeated online threats.
A study put forward by the Digital Rights Foundation found that 73% of women journalists were subject to harassment during the election of 2024. They were further fed with disinformation from the public. Additionally, the supporters of LGBTQ are a constant target of organized hate campaigns in society.
Despite a constant surge in abuse, police and other law enforcement agencies fail to act. Ignoring and downplaying have become trivial issues for FIA officials. They have been reported to disregard complaints from victims of online harassment. A pertinent example is the case of Sindhi poet and activist Amar Sindhu, who has been abused; yet, according to the Sindhu Human Rights Defenders Network, substantial accountability remains to be actualized.
The legal architecture of Pakistan enables intrusive surveillance. PECA and the Investigation for Fair Trial Act 2013 allow law enforcement bodies to intercept communications on the basis of national security concerns, exacerbating the privacy of citizens. To filter and monitor internet traffic, the government has deployed deep packet inspection (DPI) tools, usurping the liberty of individuals of the state.
Furthermore, telecom companies have also acknowledged sharing the user data with authorities. This depicts the level of control the social activist is under.
Escalation of concerns happened in 2023 when leaked audiotapes of politicians and judges surfaced online, indicating mass surveillance at the hands of the authorities. Pakistan is marked for using commercial spyware such as Pegasus to keep an eye on the activities of journalists and public figures.
Conclusively, it is crystal clear that digital activism is a powerful tool for the citizens and journalists of Pakistan. However, it is besieged by censorship, legal repression, and constant surveillance. The world of the internet is expanding; so are the endeavors to keep a tight control on the activities of those who critique the policies of the state or the bureaucracy. Civil society must push for reforms through legal means in order to establish the true sense of democracy and freedom of expression, or else Pakistan may fall completely into the abyss of unjust suppression.
