Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has firmly said that security forces should be able to tap phones, seeing this as a vital tool in the fight against terrorism.
Asif’s comments sparked contentious discussions and backlash from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), particularly from Omer Ayub, the party’s leader.
Khawaja Asif emphasized in a foreign media interview the significance of phone tapping for national security. “The fight against terrorism is ours. In the present circumstances, I will be in favor of phone tapping,” he declared.
He went on to say that everyone should support the legislation, emphasizing that the phone tapping problem is presently being handled through the judicial system. “Phone tapping is essential for national security,” he stated.
The PTI’s arguments were also rejected by the defense minister as disingenuous, who cited the party’s erratic position on the issue.
“Everything appeared acceptable to the PTI founder, Imran Khan, while he was on excellent terms with the establishment, both legitimate and illegitimate. The same thing is brutal to his supporters now,” Asif said.
Asif reaffirmed that monitoring phone conversations is essential to fighting terrorism and preserving national security. “I will be in favor of phone tapping under the present situation. In the fight against terrorism, it was essential,” he declared. In these difficult circumstances, he also urged detractors to think about the bigger picture when it comes to security precautions.
Asif implied that the PTI’s present protests are politically driven by pointing to other instances in which they enjoyed a positive relationship with the establishment in response to former prime minister Imran Khan’s complaints about his phone being tapped.
In order to protect national security and prevent crime, the central government granted Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the nation’s premier espionage agency, permission to tap phones on July 8. Section 54 of the Pakistan Telecommunication Act 1996 grants ISI permission to record phone conversations, according to the notification. Any telecommunications system will be able to be recorded under the notice.
The notice also included a call recording option and the ability to track messages and calls. The prime minister must approve the transfer of this power to ISI personnel who are Grade 18 or above. The release states that recording messages from other apps, calls made on WhatsApp, and phone conversations will be available.
