ISLAMABAD: The federal government has granted the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the authority to intercept and trace phone calls and messages.
The federal cabinet approved a circular allowing a designated ISI officer of grade 18 or higher to trace calls under Section 54 of the Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act 1996, as reported by media outlets, including BBC Urdu, on Tuesday.
“In the interest of national security and in the apprehension of any offence, the federal government is pleased to authorize officers nominated by the ISI to intercept calls and messages or trace calls through any communication system,” stated a notification issued by the Ministry of Information on Monday.
The move to grant the ISI increased powers to intercept communications aligns with the Shehbaz Sharif government’s efforts to implement stricter regulations on social media, citing national security concerns. This includes the recent ban on the popular social media platform X.
In May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a draft amendment to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. The amendment proposed establishing a Digital Rights Protection Authority.
Additionally, the government is installing a national firewall on various internet service providers (ISPs). This system will filter and block unwanted content on social media platforms from reaching a wider audience.
The plan includes implementing a keyword filtering system to detect and censor content deemed undesirable or prejudicial to national security. This filter will act as an “information inspector,” effectively making certain posts invisible to users.
Posts from dissenting voices, both within and outside the country, will likely be subjected to this inspection process before being fully visible online. This filtering system will be applied across major social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Preparations are also underway to prevent the “misuse” of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) by citizens. The government may mandate that citizens report the VPNs they are using to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Failure to comply could result in legal trouble.
When approached for comments, neither the PTA nor the Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, provided any response.
This section of the Telecommunications Act empowers the federal government to authorize any person or entity to intercept communications or trace calls through any telecommunication system.
