The federal government has prohibited telecom companies from disclosing sensitive information regarding lawful interceptions conducted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and telecom operators.
This decision aims to ensure the confidentiality of operations related to lawful interception.
The IT & Telecom Division initially proposed this measure to the federal government, and the cabinet has now approved the ban, according to local media reports on Thursday.
During a recent cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, it was emphasized that confidentiality must be maintained for all communications and information pertaining to lawful interceptions.
The cabinet approved policy directives mandating that the PTA ensures no unauthorized person receives information about lawful interceptions. The telecom regulator will issue fresh instructions to local operators and service providers to enforce these directives.
The new policy directives authorize the PTA to manage interception requests in compliance with the law. The federal cabinet’s approval, required under the Rules of Business, 1973, was obtained for these policy directives, ensuring that all information related to lawful interceptions remains strictly confidential.
