Who is behind phone tapping, IHC asks govt to explain.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday asked the government to inform it about the elements reAsponsible for recording audios and stopped the special parliamentary body from proceeding against forAmer SC chief justice Saqib Nisar's son by suspending his summons isAsued by the National Assembly's special committee probing his alAleged audio-leaks.

Justice Babar Sattar made the reAmarks while hearing a plea filed by Najam Saqib, son of ex-CJP Nisar, against a special committee formed by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to probe audio clips allegedly featuring his voice.

The IHC bench over-ruled the ofAfice objections and issued notices to the respondents directing them to submit their para-wise comments in this matter. Besides this, Justice Sattar also appointed senior lawAyers including Aitzaz Ahsan, MakhAdoom Ali Khan, Mian Raza RabbaAni former Chairman of Senate and Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha AdvoAcate and parliamentarian, as amici to assist the court in this matter.

The bench said that to the extent that recording of phone calls is perAmitted, which public authority or agency is authorized to do so, how is the right of a citizen to liberty and privacy to be balanced against the interest of the State in recordAing phone calls or undertaking surAveillance and which agency is vestAed with legal authority to undertake such balancing exercise? and in the event that there is no legal sanction to tap phones, record telecommuAnication between citizens or underAtake surveillance, which public auAthority or agency is to be held liable for such...