Defense Minister Khawaja Asif strongly supports phone tapping by security agencies and emphasizes its necessity in the ongoing war on terror.
In an interview with foreign media, Khawaja Asif emphasized the importance of wiretapping for national security. “We are in a war against terrorism. In the current situation, I will support wiretapping,” he declared.
He further insisted that everyone should support the measure, stressing that the phone tapping issue is currently going through legal channels. “Wiretapping is essential to national security,” he argued.
The defense minister also dismissed the PTI’s objections as hypocritical and pointed out the party’s mixed stand on the matter.
Asif reiterated that wiretapping is essential to fight terrorism and protect national security. “Under the current circumstances, I will support wiretapping. It was necessary in the war on terror,” he said. He also urged critics to consider the wider implications of security measures in such trying times.
Responding to former prime minister Imran Khan’s complaints about his phone being tapped, Asif pointed to PTI’s past history of friendly relations with the establishment, suggesting that their current objections are politically motivated.
On July 8, the federal government authorized the country’s top spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to tap phones in view of national security and deter any crime. According to the notification, the ISI is authorized to record telephone calls under Section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication Act, 1996. Based on the notification, it will be able to record any telecommunication system.
An option to track messages and calls along with call recording was also given through the notification. This power is conferred on 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 apps.
It should be noted that on June 30, Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court ruled in the audio leak case of the son of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and Bushra Bibi that any kind of surveillance of citizens is illegal under the law. The federal government is responsible for monitoring four million citizens through the system, while the prime minister and cabinet are collectively and individually responsible for such mass surveillance, he ruled.
The court order said it hoped the prime minister would seek reports from intelligence agencies and take the matter to cabinet. The order further stated that the prime minister would be required to submit his report on the legal system of proceedings to the court within six weeks.
“The prime minister will say whether the surveillance of citizens is in violation of the law and the constitution,” the judge said.
It should also say who is responsible for installing the control system for legal wiretapping and mass surveillance, as well as who is in charge of the surveillance system that affects citizens’ privacy. The court further ordered all telecom companies to submit their reports on the legal wiretapping management system by July 5.
