Ever since the anti-government protests took place in Islamabad, there has been yet another alarming twist in terms of surveillance and censorship. As such, the Islamabad police are now stopping random citizens at checkposts to check their smartphones.
This police personnel is not just doing a surface search of the phone but is even going through people’s WhatsApp and social media accounts, looking for any data that points towards PTI, the party that hosted the anti-government protests in the city last week.
What’s even worse is that the police officers have complete disregard for families. They are even searching through citizens traveling with their families in several areas around the city such as Margalla Avenue around the F10-F11 junction, F11 Markaz, and more.
One ProPakistani employee reports that his WhatsApp was deeply checked and the police went as far as searching the term “PTI” in individual conversations.
What to Do
This is a clear abuse of state power by the authorities since searching through privately owned items and assets requires a warrant signed by higher-ups, which none of these police officers seem to have.
We strongly recommend citizens exercise their right to privacy when faced with such abuse of power from police officers. At the time of writing, there is not even a public notification from police authorities, informing the public about these privacy-violating searches.
ICT Police and the DC office of Islamabad have apparently received complaints regarding this matter, but knowing how well complaints are received, it is unlikely to receive any real response.
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failed state antics.
There was never a democracy in this banana republic. It’s always been a concealed marshal law with a puppet regime.
Nonsense not at its worst yet, we must expect a different level from these clowns 🤡🤡😡
Bandar key hath matches lage to us ney pory jungal ko jala dala….
what nonsense is this? Now these corrupt people will look into our personal things. Are there any human rights left in this country named “Faujistaan”. This is absured and totally unacceptable.