Shocking: Govt has access to citizens’ messages, audio/video content, browsing history

During the court hearings of the illegal surveillance of Bushra Bibi’s case last month, the Islamabad High Court made a startling discovery, learning that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had ordered telecom operators to finance, import, and install a system enabling mass surveillance of citizens’ data.

The surveillance system currently in operation is known as the Lawful Intercept Management System (LIMS), the system allows access to private messages, video/audio content, call records, and web browsing histories, Geo News reported.

Justice Babar Sattar of the IHC noted that the LIMS was being utilised by “designated agencies” for surveillance purposes.

Justice Sattar noted that mass surveillance was illegal and it lacked any judicial or executive oversight.