Does the constitution and law allow surveillance and secret recording of citizens’ calls? Court
The Islamabad High Court sought assistance from the Attorney General on the recordings and audio leaks of citizens’ telephone conversations.
The High Court has issued a written order suspending the summoning of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar’s son before the special committee on audio leak.
Justice Babar Sattar issued a seven-page written order and directed the federal government, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense and PTA to be parties to the petition.
The court issued a notice to all the parties including the Secretary of the National Assembly and directed them to submit their comments on the petition while appointing Aitzaz Ahsan, Makhdoom Ali Khan, Mian Raza Rabbani and Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha as judicial assistants.
The court inquired whether the constitution and law allow surveillance and secret recording of citizens’ calls. If phone recording is allowed, which authority or agency can do the recording under which mechanism? What safeguards are in place to keep audio recordings confidential and prevent misuse? If not allowed, which authority is responsible for violation of citizens’ privacy?
The High Court asked who would be responsible for releasing the illegally recorded calls? Explain that Parliament can inquire into the matter of a private person? Do the rules allow the Speaker to set up a special committee on leaks of private individuals’ conversations?
The court remarked that the notification of the formation of the special committee is not being suspended while showing restraint in respect of the Parliament, the summons to summon the petitioner Najam-ul-Thaqib by the special committee will remain suspended till May 25.
(function(d, s, id){
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3&appId=770767426360150”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.7”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));