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Emails, SMSs, Phone Calls and All Private Communication to be Intercepted to Track Terrorists

By  | 07, Sep 2012 | 78 Comments

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Big Brother is Watching You thumb Emails, SMSs, Phone Calls and All Private Communication to be Intercepted to Track Terrorists‘Fair Trial bill’, a draft that has been approved by federal cabinet and is likely to be tabled in parliament, will authorize the state to intercept all private communications of citizens to catch terrorists.

This private communication includes, and is not limited to, Emails, text messages, phone calls, audio and visual tapes or anything that the law enforcement agencies will consider necessary.

The bill, which government of Pakistan argues will allow investigation “by modern techniques and devices”, if passed in current shape will pose serious threats to citizens’ privacy.

If passed by parliament, the bill will enable phone calls, text messages, emails and other private communication as admissible evidence while suspects will be held for six months after a warrant issued by a sessions and district court judge in his chambers.

After the approval of Fair Trial Bill, state agencies that are known for bypassing the regulations, will be able to intrude into anyone’s private communication.

It is largely feared that privacy of all Pakistani, whether they are present in Pakistan or if they are anywhere in the world, will be impacted to a level that the concept of private communication will fade away.

As she said: Democracy is the best revenge!

For further reading: The Dawn, Business Recorder, Express Tribune

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  • Furqan

    bht achay!

    • Pro_Desi

      Like they were not doing it before

    • Ahmed

      Thank to Jahil Interior Minister and Jahil Cabinet who are giving another tool in dirty hands of our civil & military agencies, there is no use of crying on this as jahil sitting in parliament will paste their thumb impression without asking about anything.
      Many of us are applying for immigration to other countries where if you cry on such thing there is someone there to hear your voice.

  • http://www.livetaleem.com Hassan

    It is a concern for those, who are involved in illegal activities. I think we need this bill, because all the anti-state elements are using internet and internet-related media for the wrong-doing.

    • faiyaz

      seriously man you don’t seem to me in your senses. do you even have the slightest idea of what a privacy is called?

      • Furqan

        very true faiyaz. Hassan is indeed out of his mind! no one should be allowed to invade our privacy. WTF is happening in here. Why the F they be allowed to see our private conversations. They fail in providing safety to us and now they want to ruin our privacy as well. Will they be invading PM, Presidents, Generals, Ministers and their families privacy as well if this bill passed. No sir they wont be as they are the sacred cow. This Bill is an other slap on the face of ppl of Pakistan. Why are these bast*rds even governing us. We better throw them out of this country.

      • http://aaqil.co.uk Aaqil Mahmood

        LOL at privacy since you are using English devices and services.

        China is much better, bans every international company, saves own people’s privacy and helps grow local internet businesses.

        • Shahid Saleem

          – LOL at privacy since you are using English devices and services.

          I also use English SSH and English SSL and English PGP. What do you say now, non-English?

          By the way, what is your dad’s CNIC number? I’m sure you don’t need to hide that, do you? After all, he isn’t doing anything illegal so why can’t you give it to us?

          – China is much better, bans every international company, saves own people’s privacy and helps grow local internet businesses.

          Is this the same China that tried to hack into Google’s servers?

          • Ozz

            By the way, what is your dad’s CNIC number? I’m sure you don’t need to hide that, do you? After all, he isn’t doing anything illegal so why can’t you give it to us?

            Shahid sahab dont u think there is any difference in between above mentioned and communication

            • Shahid Saleem

              It’s a question of privacy. Sure, the information I requested is known to certain organizations in the government but that does not mean it should be public or that more people in the government (who do not NEED TO KNOW) should know it.

              Are you comfortable giving your email account username/password to the government? You may have to.

              So, to the people who say they have nothing to hide, well, here is something they don’t want to reveal. To the people who say the only people worried about the bill are those who are doing something, illegal, for them it is obvious they have not thought about it in depth.

    • Shameel

      i dont hv a problem with the privacy invasion either , but wat worries me is that it will be used by out corrupt leaders for their own benefits , thus putting us all in more danger

      • Shahid Saleem

        – i dont hv a problem with the privacy invasion either , but wat worries me is that it will be used by out corrupt leaders for their own benefits

        In other words, you DO have a problem.

  • zain

    still noting will happen . terrorists will do whenever they want to

    ground intelligence needs to be improved

  • saad

    There is nothing wrong with that as long they keep such access for higher level officials only.

    • saad

      * federal level

      • Shahid Saleem

        Ha ha, higher officials! You must think there is some magical process where corrupt “lower officials” somehow become trustable “higher officials”.

        Get real.

  • Ashraf

    Good step. Intercepting the private communication is nothing new in modern world. It’s already in-force in europe, usa & in other developed countries to track down the state enemies.

    Worries are for those people who involved in illegal activities or are threat for our beloved country.

    • Shahid Saleem

      – Worries are for those people who involved in illegal activities or are threat for our beloved country.

      What is your CNIC number? What is your bank account number(s)? Where were you born? What is your birthdate? What is your mother’s name? What is your credit card limit?

      You’re not doing anything wrong I am sure so why are you worried about how I will use the answers to your questions? :):):)

      • Ashraf

        Dear Shahid,

        To be very honest NADRA, STATE BANK OF PAKISTAN & MINISTRY OF INTERIOR they already have my personal data that you have asked me :)

        • Shahid Saleem

          Yes, but after the bill passes, who will have access to your information? How many people? And what kind of people?

          • http://facebook.com/soleali Ali

            *And WHAT kind of people?

    • Umer

      Dear Ashraf,

      When you are talking to your wife or fiance…it will be logged forever…..no more privacy……

      Anyone could be blackmailed…..

      Nothing will be safe from corrupted politicians n there will be a new way to have BHATTA from business community !!!

      Its will be new way to fill politicians pockets in name of stopping terrorism!!

      • Ashraf

        Dear Umer,

        By the way those corrupted politicians are elected due to your votes.

        • Shahid Saleem

          Not at all. I didn’t vote for them. It’s not my fault my neighbours did…

  • Ali T.

    Youngsters can say bye bye to sexting :P

  • Saaim

    Go to hell PPP.Mulk ka bera ghark kar dia ab logo ko_______ me ghus k kia teer mar lenge :@

    (comment edited)

  • Sunain Haider

    Our politicians will never pass this bill.
    Warna pehlay tou yeh andar jaein gey.

    • Shahid Saleem

      You must not have read the news articles. members of national assembly etc are by default EXEMPT under the bill.

    • Arsalan

      hahahahaha
      true

  • Adeel Ahmed

    Ummm… Who says that the eavesdropping part might not be happening already? I think this legislation only aims to legitimise it and permit its admissibility as evidence.

    However, considering the potential for abuse of private information in the wrong hands, the legislation should also address access, control and penalty mechanisms to safeguard against such misuse.

    • Shahid Saleem

      Good point. Where can we find a copy of the draft bill?

  • pak

    agar ye army k under main ho ga tu main is ki himayat karta hon aur agar government karey gi tu phir dar hai k is ka ghalat isemal bhi ho sakta hai.

  • http://http Muhammad Zohaib

    There are two things here which I want to share (may be I am wrong, you may correct me:
    1. First of all according to Pakistani law, evidence consisting of recorded phone call/sms/mms/email etc are not worthwhile in the court of law. Such evidence has no legal value in court of law because such evidence can b collected by illegal means.
    So, what my mind says here is that this bill is produced so that our ~Leaders~ can use such evidence against each other or against those people whom they dislike.
    2. Secondly, according to constitution on 1973, article 14, govt will respect each citizens autonomy (and privacy). So, this bill is against Pakistan’s constitution and will nullify this article.
    By use of this bill (which if converted to ordinance) Pakistani government can collect any information about Pakistani citizen ‘legally’ and this info may be voluntarily leaked to USA (CIA), ISRAEL (MOSSAD) and INDIA (RAW) so that they may analyze the minds of Muslims and Pakistani people and attack ISLAAM and PAKISTAN.
    This is what my mind says as we all know whole internationl media is propagating false propaganda against islaam and pakistan.
    (May Allah save Muslim Ummah)

    • Shahid Saleem

      – This is what my mind says as we all know whole internationl media is propagating false propaganda against islaam and pakistan.

      When I drive by a factory in Quaid Industrial Estate at Kot Lakhpat that is spewing black smoke from its unfiltered smoke stacks, I do not blame Israel, India, US, UK, etc etc. I know who to blame: OURSELVES. The Punjab government environment agency that does nothing. The federal government that does nothing. THE PUBLIC THAT DOES NOTHING (and yes that includes me).

      There is no false propaganda when I see pollution like that. That is the reality that we have made ourselves.

      Extrapolate that to other sectors of the country. How is your health care system? If I have to drive my mother to National Hospital, I have to pay Rs 1,500 per visit. If I drive her to some Punjab government hospital, I only have to pay Rs 1 or osmething small like that. But 1. I have to wait in line for a long time, maybe more than an hour. And 2. WITHOUT DOUBT the doctor doing the checkup at the government hospital will refer me to a specialist friend of his who will charge Rs LOTS.

      Really, we can sit around and blame Mossad CIA MI5/MI6 all day long or we can open our eyes and see what Pakistanis are doing to other Pakistanis AND WE LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT.

      I guarantee you, unless you live in the tribal areas, if you do not die a natural death from old age or from some self-inflicted accident (fall off a ladder, etc), you will be killed by a Pakistani Muslim.

      • AQSA KHAN

        @shahid Yes we ourselves are to be blamed also but @zohaib is saying that these 3 agencies and those few non-muslim countries are trying to malign islam. They propagate false news and false propaganda about jihaad, and so on. no doubt, islam is the fastest growing religion, thousands of muslims are converting to islam annually in europe and usa, so these westerners fear that one day we may loss our hold on the globe, so they propagate false propaganda. everyone knows who is behind 9/11 attacks, who is killing innocent afghanis, innocent iraqis, innocent Palestinians, but they blame MUSLIMS..

        • Shahid Saleem

          – everyone knows who is behind 9/11 attacks, who is killing innocent afghanis, innocent iraqis, innocent Palestinians, but they blame MUSLIMS..

          If you bring up “everyone knows who is behind 9/11 attacks” and you don’t mean Al Qaeda, you are wrong.

          – who is killing innocent afghanis

          9 times out of 10, they are killed by Afghan or Pakistani Taliban.

          – innocent iraqis

          9 times out of 10, they are killed by other Iraqis. Have you forgotten that very few deths were before the Shia shrine/mosque was destroyed?

    • Zeeshan Shahid

      Back to the two main points that Zohaib identified, yes, the evidence law (qanoon-e-shahadat) does not cover electronic evidence right now, there was one cyber something law (again without reference to evidence definition) but that expired I believe.

      A very good point about the reference to the Constitution. But I fear that with the current state of affairs, any unconstitutional act can go undetected and unprotested.

  • shahid

    beta army ke haath mein sab de doh ta ke mulk ko kha jaye

  • http://aaqil.co.uk Aaqil Mahmood

    Why people are worry about “privacy” while using devices and services made by enemy countries in hand? isn’t it funny?

    fans of google, facebook, microsoft, blackberry, apple etc :D

    • Shahid Saleem

      – Why people are worry about “privacy” while using devices and services made by enemy countries in hand? isn’t it funny?

      Not at all. I can download, and build my own copy of Android WITH NO LINKS TO GOOGLE and it’ll be 100% controlled by me, all the way from the bootloader to the mail app. I have the option of controling everything.

      – fans of google, facebook, microsoft, blackberry, apple etc :D

      Which is different from some guy in the ministry of interior being bribed by a political party to scan for keywords related to some scandal.

  • saad

    I don’t understand what privacy Pakistani people are worried about if their government wants to monitor Calls, SMS, and Emails. This is something being already done all over the world in every other developed country where security is a challenge. But yes, such security clearance shouldn’t be given to provincial level law enforcement agencies.

    • Zeeshan Shahid

      Google ‘Patriot Act’ and look for the criticism. Just because it’s in ‘every other developed country’ doesn’t mean their public takes it as a fruit of democracy. The balance between security and civil rights will forever be debated, don’t pass a judgement on ‘Pakistani people’.

  • FeZy

    uffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

  • Munna

    Roz new drama pak gaya thak gaya tum logon ne jo bh kaha wo mere bheje mai atak gaya. Abe ye mulk hay ya pagal khana?

  • http://Pakistaniyan.com emALiBaBa

    Privacy ki tension un ko hi ho skti hai jin k night packages ka masla hota hai =]] LOL … Ager ye kam sahi tareeqay sy ho jaye to kisi kisam ka koi nuqsan nahi hai … !! Our data is safer in our govt hand as compared to FACEBOOK, TWITTER n blah blah …

    Wahan per privacy laga k apny ghar ki pics b upload ker rhy hain sab … !! yahan privacy issues nikal aye !!

    DOUBLE STANDARDS!!

    • http://Pakistaniyan.com emALiBaBa

      Jis ko itnaaaaa hi privacy issue hai vo simply aglay bndy k GHAR ja ker mil ly … !! If they are worried about some secret deals n awl …… !!

    • Shahid Saleem

      – Our data is safer in our govt hand as compared to FACEBOOK, TWITTER n blah blah …

      Point #1: you’re wrong.
      Example: http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/not-a-hack-lahore-electric-supply-companies-lesco-website-privacy-leaks/
      Example: http://propakistani.pk/2010/11/30/40-sensitive-government-websites-got-hacked/
      Example: http://thedailyattack.com/2011/11/09/state-bank-of-pakistan-hacked-by-ica/

      Any time attackers get access to a website that has a database backend with sensitive data, your data can be leaked. Even if the site is not directly connected to a database, the attackers can gather enough information to do more attacks.

      Point #2: You do not understand privacy. When you sit around with co-workers, do you complain about your boss WHEN THE BOSS IS SITTING NEXT TO YOU? No, you talk when the boss isn’t around. Are you talking terrorism, criminal activities? No — you are just talking. In that context, privacy = talking to just the people you want to.

      And that’s what you lose. What is the rule of law in Pakistan? REALLY BAD. Influential people can get you locked up by making up any excuse. Do you want MORE influential people to have access to what you’re saying? We live in a world of keyword analysis and speech fingerprinting.

      I have an idea. propakistani.pk should publish the IP addresses of all commenters along with their comments. Why should it be private?

      • Zeeshan Shahid

        Wow… you seriously responded to that?

  • http://www.technonymous.net Arslanh

    They still won’t catch any terrorists -_-
    But the only thing we got, our privacy, would be disturbed badly!

    • faizan

      i’m totally agree with this..

  • Hassan Awan

    It is simply Bull Shit, Americans wanted this since since long, they asked these intercepts and accesses from Last government as well. All was denied in paast, these guys want to please americans during last months of their tenure to get another chance for 5 years for further Looting and throw us all to stoneage. We all need to protest against this, there should be better ways to cope up with these issues, rather investigating whole nation.

    • Shahid Saleem

      Ah, yes. Let’s blame the Americans! Great angle, Hassan.

      Except it’s supposed to help local law enforcement, and the Americans already have 90% of the information already. Try again.

  • http://propakistani.pk ahmad

    Wow If now even i send a hadith related to jihab via text message they will arrest me because i m a terrorist????

  • http://propakistani.pk ahmad

    sorry it was jihad not jihab
    Wow If now even i send a hadith related to jihad via text message they will arrest me because i m a terrorist????

  • http://www.apachejava.blogspot.com Aizaz

    General people will be effected. There are lots of solution present like one can design a software that encrypts your phone call, sms, email and data stored on device.

    Public key private key model is excellent encryption for that. I will encrypt data with my public key you can decipher it with your private key :)

  • S R Ahmed

    unbelievable and unacceptable.

    Enjoy the democracy where the let-racy rate is below 90% Democracy prevails.

  • Mansoor Ch.

    very good Decision

    • Shahid Saleem

      What does your face look like? It’s not private, is it???

  • http://bsolutions.pk Fazal

    In my opinion this has already been happening since a long time now. Maybe for decades!

  • Ahmed

    The problem isn’t catching or tracking terrorists. It’s prosecuting them. They either remain untouched or are set free by the terrorist-doting courts.

    This is just an excuse to subdue the burgeoning masses and turn this mess of a country into a truly authoritarian police state.

    • Shahid Saleem

      – The problem isn’t catching or tracking terrorists. It’s prosecuting them. They either remain untouched or are set free by the terrorist-doting courts.

      Excellent point, and it should be promoted more.

      We already have lots of laws. We have enough laws to cover almost all cases. In fact, it is my firm belief that we can jail terrorists even without any special laws. After all, when Al Capone was caught in the 1930s, he was a bigtime gangster, but he was arrested and sent to jail for simple tax evasion.

      And yet, even when criminals are caught, they are let go due to lack of proper investigation or the police made procedural mistakes or whatever. This is a major problem.

  • Irtza Shahan

    why the hell Ik’s google hangout was not covered by propakistani.pk ? ?. It was the 1st of its king . 1st ever appearance of any big Pakistani politician live on social media .

  • http://www.kutta.info/ Kutta Blog

    OMg , shocking news for me ;@
    now my blog is in danger ,ittni izzat jo krta ho zardarii ki mein ,yar ye tu start se pehlay ending ….. ;@ ;@

  • http://www.itcrates.com Imran

    Negative use of this bill will increase as law and enforcement agencies will see anyone’s data especially calls and text messages and will use for their personal purposes.

    • Shahid Saleem

      Turn on encryption for your gmail.
      Turn on encryption for twitter and facebook.
      MAKE YOUR PROFILES 100% PRIVATE AND THINK VERY HARD ABOUT ADDING PEOPLE YOU DO NOT KNOW.
      Make sure your friends list on twitter, facebook, google+, etc is not public at all. Remember, if they cannot get to you directly, they can put pressure on one of your friends.

      Learn to use google + circles and facebook lists.

      PROTECT YOURSELF.

  • http://www.outlook.me.uk Outlook

    If they can pass this law and use this than why not the national firewall ..??

  • Ryan

    How can they track Email id if its Gmail, hotmail or yahoo.
    i mean they can’t track inbox & outbox of International Email provider companies.

    thay can track brain.net.pk & ptcl.com.pk emails easily under the Pakistani law

  • http://www.muzamal.page.tl Muzamal

    No Privacy????????

  • shehzad

    Use skype . coz i think it got encryption :P

  • Saad

    0oh n0, sari Privacy khtm?? WTF this government is doing? Can I protect my texts my personal messages??? Is there any way to protect messages and phone calls?

  • Zeeshan Shahid

    “Those who give up their liberty for more security neither deserve liberty nor security.”
    -Benjamin Franklin

    Any legal expert in here who can guide us how to protest against this bill. An online petition is not likely to be successful but can get media attention. Thoughts?

  • Osman Malik

    @shahid Saleem …yes we do accept our mistakes but you are giving clean chit to anti Islamic anti pakistan elements ….it’s not fair

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