LAHORE (Staff Report) – Telephone calls of several noted journalists are being tapped on the order of a high profile government official following an ordinance that granted security agencies an exclusive access to phone calls and messages being exchanged digitally, claimed a reporter of local newspaper on Thursday.
According to the detail, officials have prepared two separate lists A and B. However, the weekly report of telephone record of those included in list A have been forwarded to government this Saturday.
Around 27 key journalists are listed in this category including Arif Nizami, Arshad Sharif, Hassan Nisar, Salman Ghani, Babar Awan, Saleem Bukhari, Haroon Rashid and Asad Kharal whereas another 271 journalists are listed in B category.
The step has not only been taken to monitor the news sources of key journalists but also those politicians having close links with media persons, reported Hasan Raza.
The report further quoted Punjab Interior Minister Shuja Khanzada saying that usually federal government takes decisions regarding telephone tapping and he is not aware about any such development.
