Notification allowing phone tapping by ISI challenged in LHC

LAHORE: The federal government’s notification allowing the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to tap and intercept phones of citizens has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The country’s premier spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was mandated by the federal government to intercept and trace phone calls and messages due to perceived threats to national security on Tuesday.

Citizen Fahad Shabbir has filed the petition challenging the notification in the LHC through Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, making the prime minister, the federal government and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) as respondents.

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The petition argues that the government of Pakistan has issued a notification allowing the ISI to tap citizens’ phones under Section 54 of PTA Act 1996 but the rules have not been devised under which the notification has been issued.

The petitioner contends that the constitution allows the privacy and freedom of speech to citizens and phone tapping is a clear-cut violation of the constitution, he argues.

The petitioner requested the court to declare the government notification of intercepting and recording calls and messages by ISI or other agencies illegal and annual the notification until final verdict on the plea.

He also pleaded that the court direct the government to revise the rules of PTA Act Section 54.