Experts term Pakistan ‘most watched country’. PHOTO: REUTERS
The 2013 global surveillance disclosure by a former contractor for the United States of America’s (USA) National Security Agency (NSA) revealed that the agency has also been tapping the phones and hacking the emails of thousands of Pakistanis.
The whistleblower claimed that the US was intensely spying on Pakistanis’ online communication systems, with 13.5 billion pieces of email, phone and fax communications intercepted.
Edward Snowden’s disclosure shows that although the journalists here are among the worst affected by illegal snooping, they still lack the knowledge to deal with the problem in future.
Pakistan is also considered one of the most dangerous countries for journalists and ranked 8th on Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 2013 impunity index which spotlights countries where the killers of slain journalists go unpunished. Meanwhile, for its press freedom, Reporters without Borders Press Freedom Index 2013 has ranked it 159th out of 179 countries reviewed.
A study by Internews titled ‘Digital Security and Journalists --- A snapshot of awareness and practice in Pakistan’noted that journalists in the country are facing considerably high security threats, but they still seem laidback about their digital security despite the fact that digital communication breaches could seriously affect their physical security.
In the wake of Snowden’s revelation, the Senate Standing Committee on Defence held a workshop on Monday to sensitise media personnel and provided them with a Cyber Security Manual wherein the former NSA contractor is quoted as saying, “There were people in news organisations who didn’t recognise that any unencrypted message sent over the internet is being delivered to every intelligence service in the world. In the wake of this year’s disclosures, it should be clear that unencrypted journalist-source communication is unforgivably reckless.”
Addressing the participants of ‘Cyber Security for Journalists’ organised in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for defence reporters, Senate Standing Committee on Defence Chairman Mushahid Hussain Syed said that the training workshop was a step forward to involve journalists not only as stakeholders, but as partners in the endeavour regarding cyber security as well.
“This first of its kind seminar addresses our first line of defence in cyber security --- the media. Through such efforts we can neutralise one of today’s top unconventional threats to Pakistan’s secrets,” he told The Express Tribune.
He added that in these changing times, national security has to be redefined globally in general and locally in particular so that the approach is both transparent and inclusive while the media and the parliament should be considered the primary civilian stakeholders in the new policies.
“It is imperative to have discussions of this sort in Pakistan. Until recently, these issues were not very visible,” said Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Resident Representative Ronny Heine while referring to Snowden’s revelations. He said that the idea behind having this session was to enlighten the media personnel that “Pakistan is the most watched country.”
Centre for Advanced Research in Engineering (CARE) Chief Executive Officer Dr Shahid Malik was also of the opinion that it was about time the country formulated its own indigenous national cyber policy.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2013.
COMMENTS (29)
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Kash hum bhi parhay likhay hotay !
What in the world are they talking about? hacking emails? Whattttt? the best hackers in the world can do it and do what? if this were true then Pakistan would have uncovered everything by now and used it to their advantage. If it is true than i think there is nothing to worry about; as long as the state is doing it responsibly; i dont think there is any reason to worry.
@unbelievable: "Yeah right – goes to show you that if you say something over and over eventually people will start to believe it.." ha ha ha! You know,! That applies more to you than any of your target audience bro! By the way... Haqqani is a tribe of ten of thousands of members from both sides of Pak Afghan border and not exactly a terrorist group, that's a mistaken concept based only on the last name of many extremists from this tribe. It would be like calling whole Punjab as terrorist tribe, lol! There is a conniving party in the works that's carrying dual characteristic of peaceful but supporting extremism & terrorism called JI, that was the reason behind OBL drama. But still you are free to keep saying your are the greatest and one day you will believe that, that'll be Only You! Not us!
The NSA with a million plus employes has beome a very strong factor in USA. A state within the State, though Mr Obama had been pretending that everything is under his control. The USA wants to have a free trade agreement with the European Union! Not so fast sir, the European citizens do no longer trust the current administration, if the NSA can spy on the European heads of Governments, there is nothing stopping them to spy on the industry ito obtain a competitive advantage for the American industry.. We need a written agreement which prohibits spying among allies and stipulates sanctions against the violaters..
Rex Minor
@Zoya Khan:
Yeah right - goes to show you that if you say something over and over eventually people will start to believe it.. . The vast majority of Pakistan casualties in this "war on terror" are civilians who's deaths are arguably linked to the military's indifferent attitude towards militants/terrorist.. They haven't launched a meaningful offensive since 09, conveniently looked the other way while OBL lived comfortably down the block from the Pakistan Military Academy, didn't do much when the terrorist beheaded their own soldiers - and lets not forget that the last Taliban leader lived openly down the road from another Pakistan Military Base. , Further - Pakistan openly provides sanctuary to the Haqanni who use Pakistan as a base to launch attacks on American's - not the actions of a "front line ally"
Anyone who is surprised by this information is either stupid or naive. Pakistan is regarded as the Nexus of Terrorism and deserves close scrutiny - I have no doubt that journalist are more concerned about the ISI than the NSA.
@Zoya Khan:
You sound like a country with a lot to hide.
@polpot: Right now, US isn't interested in snooping on NS whom it knows is on their side but it is Imran who is threatening to stop NATO supplies would be its center of attraction. However, KPK Governer who has sent a request to US govt to invest in this province projects for its failing economy will be really disappointed and so is the Federal information minister who also sent a shut up call to Imran to mind his own business and let them handle the drone issue has forced him to postpone the blockage indefinitely.
You got nothing to worry about if you got nothing to hide. Now the people running hate campaigns on Facebook and Twitter will wonder why their American visa is taking so long.
Pakistan’s national cyber security is of dire need keeping in view the geopolitical importance and adversaries. In this regard establishment, media and political parties need to submit to the obligation to the state and most importantly to act to assure the national interests.
@Last Word: Ya Right! If India was little capable of thwarting anything comming from Pakistan U.S did not have to work this hard. Read the U.S report on Indian reaction capability and speed...you will be shocked. It's good they snoop frequently here on Pak Tribune to get Pak planning before they go back to movie making and believing that.
What should have to be said? NSA spying activities have captured the world, USA not spared its allies in this process, India, Israel which was considering US their reliable friend now also be careful of the activities of USA. The spying activities of NSA raised alarm bells in the ears of the countries and made them aware of what actually is happening to them. This thing also gave them the signal that for the security of USA national interest it can cross any limit and can go to the others vicinity. It also made the world to devise counter and effective measures in response to spying activities. Its a shame ful act on part of USA as Pakistan is the front line ally of USA in war against terrorism, sacrificed its thousands of officers, civilians just to get rid of terrorist activities going on the soil of Pakistan. This is the crucial time for Pakistan to devise new strategies rather to give USA leverage of maligning the image of Pakistan.
@Zinda Quom: No matter what, we remain the most Jahil Quom amongst all living things. With anarchy prevailing across the length and breath of the country, and with no solution in sight, we are headed straight towards total destruction. Denying the facts and living in the false assumption that we are at the best will make us a laughing stock. The world is not blind not to know our situation. Stop living in a dream, wake up and try to make things straight if not, very soon there will not be enough time even to regret.
Interestingly, US, kept eye on other states but forgot to catch its own agents. US kept eye on other states' nuclear assets but many security breaches have been observed. The great Irony is that if something wrong happens in any part of world US makes lot of noise but when it comes to home issue.. US stance, keep silence please. Similar with NSA Surveillance program, Its completely against International law. Most of the US allies have raised high concerns on breach of international law but long silence from US.
Even then the United States of America are weak and helpless in their bitterly lost war at home, against the powerful South-American drug cartels!
@Someone: This is actually an ET employee's desk. Makes a lot of sense
So was Nawaz Sharifs mobile also targetted? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And the americans learnt the recipe for Dal and Keema!
What a crappy photo!!! What is a toilet roll doing on the table :p
Unfortunately not surprising news considering so many terrorists find safe haven in Pakistan. But the US's [at times misplaced] paranoia extends to most other countries around the world so they spare no one.
@Zinda Quom: ET was doing the public good by not exposing them to your propaganda. Its just too bad freedom of speech and expression applies to you and your likes as well.
US did not spare even its closest allies and Pakistan who is least trusted by the Americans for playing double games and holding nuclear arsenal is on the top of the list, being watched 24x7 and rightly so. India being the strategic ally of US is in the loop to thwart any attempt on the lines of Kargil attack and 26/11.
It isn’t something new as countries like Germany, france, Britain everyone has been spied and along with Pakistan they does not have the required technological equipment to deal with foreign SIGINT technology", but steps must be taken in order to inform students, media personnel, and government officials about all these technological innovations to counter such survelliance programmes and make a cyber-security policy of their own. One lesson U.S must not forget that Relations between nations are built on trust, mutual respect and if lacking drives a wedge between the best of them.
Interestingly, Edward Snowden’s whistles the whole world to devise some counter mechanism to protect their personal lives from US snooping. US has this view that it’s NSA is primarily giving the global protection to the people just like its global war on terror. But no one buys this view and regarding generated a strong opposition. Despite of being a front line ally on GWOT, Pakistan is the most favored nation of NSA spying and primarily the Pakistani journalists. This is a time when we really need to speak up as this is a complete violation of that very freedom which US usually propagated. There is a lot to work on technological grounds to tackle the US obsession as it is evident that it’s a time of Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). Pakistan is coping with lots of predicaments and bends to devise the counter measures strategies. Establishing protection from spying is a big challenge but it can’t be over looked as world is bent to generate propagandas against Pakistan. Primarily, this is a direct threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity which can’t be compromised at any cost.
Must agree with the first comment with the addition that we have to setup a system of surveillance in the west like Israel and we must also cooperate with neighbors on sharing Intel..
I wrote:
It has become fashionable to write this off as conspiracy theory but the real explanation has always been that Pakistan is blessed with the most geo-strategically important location in the world, and the resources, talent and will to exploit it for the unification of Ummah and resurgence of Islam. Secular imperialist forces have been denying us our rightful benefit of this advantage by keeping us in constant strife - we are the only threat to secular hegemony since they know we will lead the unification of the Ummah. But it is all written and no amount of sabotage can prevent it InshaAllah.
ET naturally did not publish it. So I re-write the last line to make it palatable to ET:
"...But it is all written and no amount of sabotage (including ET's) can prevent it InshaAllah.
I though least our Facebook and Skype were safe enough to have some banter.
It is false security if you think that supplier provided encryption services is a solution. You need independent LAN with firewalls and all the other infrastructure that goes with it, meanwhile go back to pen and paper and all the other precautions in you think it is worthwhile. Good luck.
If NSA have tapped late night calls of Pakistanis...then they must enjoyed it alot....and got very USEFUL information...:)
Pakistan is being watched for a good reason as most ot extremist incidents have a connection to it.