Pakistan has been ranked 27 out of 100 in the latest report by a global democracy watchdog that evaluates internet freedom, placing the country in the “Not Free” category. The report also highlights increasing government attempts to tighten censorship.
According to Dawn, the Freedom House report—covering the period from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025—states that authorities issued repeated threats to block Virtual Private Networks and introduced amendments to cybercrime laws that human rights groups say are susceptible to misuse.
Meanwhile, countries such as India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh were categorized as “Partly Free,” with significantly higher freedom scores of 51, 53, and 45, respectively. No score was available for Afghanistan.
China, Myanmar, Iran, and Russia were ranked at the bottom of the list with very low scores of 9, 9, 13, and 17.
The report notes that countries experiencing the steepest decline in internet freedom over the past 15 years include Pakistan, Egypt, Russia, Türkiye, and Venezuela, where governments have tightened digital control in response to political challenges.
Pakistan’s internet freedom deteriorated sharply between 2011 and 2015, with its score rising from 55 to 69 (indicating reduced freedoms). In 2012, Pakistan’s classification shifted from “Partly Free” to “Not Free,” reflecting increasing restrictions over time.
The report highlights complaints by Pakistani users about poor internet quality and disruptions in accessing messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Signal, which were likely connected to the introduction of new website monitoring and blocking technologies.
It further states that in November last year, internet services in Islamabad were restricted during large-scale protests held in support of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remained incarcerated at the time.
The platform was also reportedly accessible during a four-day military standoff between India and Pakistan, which began after a militant attack in Pahalgam, occupied Kashmir. The report claims the military sought to curb the influence of PTI’s founder and his party.
VPN Section
The report mentions that authorities unblocked ‘X’ in May 2025, after keeping it restricted since February 2024.
Throughout this period, repeated threats were issued to block unregistered VPNs. Registration requirements introduced in November 2024 made it mandatory for users to provide identity details. However, officials later declared that non-registered VPNs would not be blocked, as the Law Ministry concluded the government lacked the legal authority to do so.
In January 2025, amendments to the cybercrime law included vague language that rights groups fear could be used to suppress online expression.
The report also records that at least five individuals were sentenced to death under blasphemy charges for online posts during the review period.
Furthermore, it states that although Pakistan holds regular elections under a multi-party competitive system, the military exerts significant influence over the electoral process, policy decisions, and governance, while intimidating the media and avoiding accountability for abuses of power.
Out of the 72 countries assessed in Freedom on the Net 2025, 28 experienced worsening conditions, while 17 showed improvement.
The report adds that governments continue to impose targeted restrictions on civil liberties, while extremist actors carry out attacks and routinely target religious minorities and opposition voices.
Globally, internet freedom declined for the fifteenth consecutive year.
Kenya was reportedly the worst affected during this period, after authorities shut down internet services for nearly seven hours in June 2024 during nationwide protests against tax increases, followed by mass arrests.
