Senate panel seeks report on spying equipment

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Senator Abdul Rehman Malik has taken serious notice of the warning letter issued by National Telecom and Information Technology Board (NTISB) about illegal and spying equipment and secret units at the Constitution Avenue and diplomatic enclave for interception of mobile phones for spying purposes.

Rehman Malik termed it great breach of national security and asked the Ministry of Interior, Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), IG Islamabad police to investigate by identifying the location of the unit busy in this illegal act and report within 10 days to the Senate's Committee on Interior.

He said as per NTISB report, the phone calls of important personalities and ministers were being recorded. Senator Rehman Malik said, according to report, the intelligence agencies of enemy countries were intercepting the calls in Islamabad.

"It is violation of international law and crime of spying on a country," he said adding that spying equipment had an access to massaging and calls, which is worrisome. Rehman Malik asked the government to take notice of it and fix the responsibility after the investigation.