Pakistan government authorizes spy agency to intercept communications to protect ‘national security’
ISLAMABAD: The government authorized the country’s premier spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to intercept phone calls and messages “in the interest of national security” in a notification issued on Monday, a little more than a week after a local court questioned the legal basis of such surveillance.
The issue came under the spotlight after several audio clips, including those of former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse, emerged on social media in the lead-up to the February 8 general elections. This prompted Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and other individuals to file petitions challenging unauthorized surveillance and privacy violations.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) took up the case, revealing the use of a mass surveillance system facilitating access to private messages, multimedia content, call records and web browsing histories without proper legal oversight or judicial authorization.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996 (the Act), the Federal Government in the interest of national security and in the apprehension of any offense, is pleased to authorize the officers not below the rank of grade 18 to nominated from time to time by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to intercept calls and messages or to trace calls through any telecommunication system as envisaged under Section 54 of the Act,” said the notification issued by the information technology ministry.
Section 54 of the PTA Act deals with the issue of national security and authorizes such intercepts, though it does not specify the agency or the rank of officials that can issue the surveillance orders.
The IHC order issued on June 26 mentioned that the PTA had mandated telecom companies to implement the LIMS, which facilitated surveillance without legal or judicial oversight.
The court temporarily barred telecom companies from allowing LIMS to access their networks or procure consumer data and ordered the PTA to provide detailed reports on the system’s procurement and operation.
The hearing was adjourned until September for further proceedings.
