The nation’s top espionage agency, Inter-Services Intelligence, has received approval from the central government to intercept and trace calls and communications in order to identify and apprehend individuals suspected of violating national security.
The necessary circular, which permits an ISI certified officer to trace calls in accordance with Section 54 of the Telecommunication (Reorganization) Act of 1996, has been approved by the federal cabinet. But the agency’s nominee must be a less than a grade 18 officer.
In the interest of national security, the federal government is authorized by the aforementioned clause of the Telecommunications Act to permit any person or individuals to intercept conversations and messages or to trace calls through any telecommunication infrastructure. Additionally, it specifies that in order to protect the nation from foreign aggression and maintain national security, the government will have precedence over all license holders in the telecommunications system.
The notification from the Ministry of Information on Monday said, “The federal government is pleased to authorise the officers… to be nominated from time to time by ISI to intercept calls and messages or to trace calls through any communication system in the interest of national security and in the apprehension of any offence.”
The action is being taken against the backdrop of the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to impose harsher social media rules, citing worries over national security and the current ban on popular social networking site X. A draft amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 that called for the creation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority was approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz in May.
