The federal government has permitted the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to tap phones in the context of national security and fear of any crime. Notification was also issued.
According to the notification, ISI is authorized to record phone calls under Section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication Act, 1996. ISI will be able to record any telecommunications system.
The notification also gave the option to trace messages and calls along with call recording.
This authority is given to ISI officers of Grade 18 or above with the approval of the Prime Minister. According to the announcement, it will be possible to record mobile calls, WhatsApp calls, messages, and other applications.
It should be noted that on June 30, Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court, son of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and Bushra Bibi, wrote in the judgment of the Audio Leaks case that any kind of surveillance of citizens is illegal according to the law, through the system of surveillance of 40 lakh citizens. The responsibility lies with the federal government, the prime minister and the cabinet are collectively and individually responsible for this mass surveillance.
The order further said that the Prime Minister should tell who is responsible for the installation of the Lawful Interception Management System and mass surveillance. Submit your Interception Management System reports by July 5.
