ISLAMABAD – Police in the Pakistani capital are checking citizens’s smartphones, causing outrage regarding privacy rights, especially in recent times when authorities amassed heat over tightening surveillance.
Rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir took to Twitter where she raised her voice against the issue. Police cannot demand access to private phones without a warrant, she said. “@ICT Police cannot demand your phones at checkposts, let alone open the same & go through them. They require a warrant for that. If anyone stops you at a checkpoint and demands your phone, refuse to give it. What Islamabad Police is doing is completely illegal,” she said.
The recent practice raised alarm in residents of twin cities, as cops are going through private messages on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. This has become part of an intensified surveillance effort, particularly in the aftermath of the recent anti-government protests in the city, which were organized by Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf PTI.
Citizens, especially young ones, are now being forced to hand over their devices, often without legal basis. Such actions have been deemed a violation of privacy rights, as law enforcement must secure a warrant before conducting searches of private property.
Legal experts and human rights activists are calling for immediate action, urging the public to assert their right to privacy and challenge these illegal practices.
Some called it clear abuse of power, as searching private property without a warrant is a violation of basic rights. Such actions are raising serious concerns about privacy violations and the erosion of civil liberties.
Islamabad police officials are yet to clear air on the matter as it remains unclear if any meaningful action will be taken in response.
