LHC moved against govt’s power to authorize a secret agency to intercept & trace calls

LAHORE (92 News) - A petition was on Wednesday filed to challenge the government’s power to authorize a secret agency to intercept and trace calls.

The petition filed through Nadeem Sarwar advocate contended that the constitution provides privacy and freedom of expression to citizens.

He prayed to court to direct the government to formulate rules of Section 54 of the PTA Act.

He appealed to court to suspend the notification authorizing the ISI to intercept and trace calls.

A notification issued on Tuesday states: “In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 54 … the federal government in the interest of national security and in the apprehension of any offence, is pleased to authorize the officers not below the rank of grade 18 to be nominated from time to time by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to intercept calls and messages or to trace calls through any telecommunication system as envisaged under Section 54 of the Act.”