ISLAMABAD: The country’s top spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has received approval from the federal government to intercept and trace calls and messages in order to identify and apprehend those 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.”
