November 18, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
A government-mandated household survey in Islamabad has sparked fierce criticism from lawmakers and digital rights activists, who are raising serious concerns about citizen privacy, data security, and constitutional violations.
Senator raises alarm
Senator Palwasha Khan has strongly condemned the implementation of the household survey, describing it as an illegal intrusion into citizens’ private lives. During a Senate session on November 14, she questioned the legal basis for what she termed threatening tactics to collect personal information.
According to Senator Khan, the survey requires citizens top provide details of all household residents, including their ages and identities. The survey also asks residents of the federal capital to share information about domestic workers. Residents have been told to download a dedicated app (ICT household survey) and input all household data. In addition, residents have also been instructed to install electronic tags (e-tags) on their vehicles for entry and exit from the federal capital.
Coercive methods alleged
The Senator alleged that citizens have been threatened with forcible home entry if they refuse to comply. “Under which law are these measures being taken?” she asked the Senate Chairman, highlighting the absence of clear legal authorization.
Expressing grave concerns about data protection, Senator Khan warned that sensitive information collected through the survey could easily be compromised. “This information could be sold on the dark web for a hundred rupees tomorrow,” she said, adding that such data could enable criminals to identify vulnerable households with only women, elderly people, or children.
She questioned who would prevent unauthorized access to citizens’ private information and raised concerns about surveillance through e-tags, which would track vehicle movements without transparency about where location data would be stored or who could access it.
Senator Khan suggested the survey was an attempt to deflect from government security failures. “Instead of admitting their mistakes—that they failed to prevent suicide bombers from reaching here—they are threatening citizens,” she said, questioning why no officials were held accountable for security breaches.
The Senator demanded to know whether the Deputy Commissioner and Interior Ministry would accept responsibility if any citizen became a target due to leaked survey data. She pointed out that citizens’ personal details, including those of the PTA Chairman, are already available on the dark web for as little as 500 rupees each.
Legal framework concerns
Nighat Dad, founder of the Digital Rights Foundation, told Voicepk that any initiative compelling citizens to disclose deeply personal information must be grounded in clear legal frameworks and respect for fundamental rights.
“Right now, there is no comprehensive data protection law in Pakistan to ensure how this data will be collected, stored, or used, which makes such compulsory surveys a serious privacy concern,” Dad explained.
The digital rights activist warned that without transparency and proper safeguards, such initiatives often lead to harassment and profiling, particularly of journalists, domestic workers, immigrants, and marginalized households.
“Given Pakistan’s history of major data leaks, the risk of this information being compromised is real,” she added. “If the goal is public safety, then the state must prioritize building trust and protecting people’s dignity and privacy through comprehensive data protection law, not undermining them under the pretext of security.”
Constitutional violations
Usama Khilji, Executive Director of digital rights organization Bolo Bhi, emphasised that Article 14 of Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees the privacy of every citizen’s home.
“For the government to conduct these surveys detailing the people inside their homes is, I think, a violation of that constitutional right and should not be allowed,” Khilji told Voicepk.
He echoed concerns about harassment risks and data security, noting that NADRA records and other sensitive information have previously been found available for purchase on the dark web.
“Even more personal details and household data—it’s not safe, and we don’t even have a personal data or privacy protection law or a data protection law,” Khilji stated.
He highlighted a critical vulnerability: even if data is leaked, citizens have no legal recourse due to the absence of data protection legislation.
Safdar Chaudhary, member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said the survey and e-tagging of vehicles would lead to harassment of residents and would not make the federal capital secure as claimed by the government. “A suicide bomber would be able to effortlessly roam across the federal capital with an explosive-laden vehicle that has e-tag and one fails to understand how this would prevent terrorist attacks,” he told Voicepk.
In his view, the household survey and its associated app would not be able to map all residents of the federal capital given the resource constraint with the Islamabad administration. “NADRA already has record of residents in Islamabad and the government could have utilized the data instead of duplicating it with a house to house survey of the households in the federal capital territory,” he added.
The controversy underscores the urgent need for Pakistan to establish comprehensive data protection laws before implementing large-scale data collection initiatives. As Senator Khan concluded, rather than pressuring citizens through threatening tactics, the government should focus on addressing genuine security concerns while respecting constitutional rights and citizen privacy.
On November 13, State Minister Talal Chaudhry announced a ‘Secure Neighbourhood Survey’ for Islamabad, a first-of-its-kind initiative to enhance public safety and aid in criminal apprehension. The survey aims to collect exact data on all residents, whether in rented or self-owned houses, to create a comprehensive database. This is deemed crucial not only for security but also for future city planning and providing basic amenities. The data collection has two components: an online application for residents to submit their information and on-ground teams that will begin visiting homes starting November 17. Residents will also be required to provide details about their domestic staff.
In related security enhancements, the minister declared it mandatory for all cars and motorcycles in Islamabad to have an e-tag, enabling the monitoring of all movement. Furthermore, the existing Safe City project, which currently covers 35% of the capital, will be expanded to 97% coverage within a year and upgraded to a Smart City project.
However Chaudhary did not respond to any messages and calls made by Voicepk for comments on whether the survey was voluntarily and what action would be taken against those residents who refused to share data of their household to survey teams.