KARACHI: Pakistan has formally lodged a protest with the United States, in light of recent media reports indicating that that it is among the countries subject to surveillance by US government departments.
“The US Embassy in Islamabad was conveyed today that such an action against Pakistani government departments or other organizations, entities and individuals is not in accord with international law and recognised diplomatic conduct, a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The ministry further said that it has urged the US to stop such activities in the interest of friendly ties. “The US side was further conveyed that surveillance was contrary to the spirit of friendly relations between our two countries,” the press release added.
Earlier today, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said that such spying was a violation of international law.
Earlier in a statement, the PPP also expressed its displeasure over the revelation that the NSA was spying on the political party in 2010 and said that "those who have violated the norms owe an apology".
According to the statement released on Wednesday, the PPP urged the government to raise the issue at the diplomatic level and get assurances from the US that such grave violations of international law are not repeated.
“The revelation of spying on a major political party of Pakistan is a grave, unwarranted and totally unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country and is condemned,” said a PPP spokesperson.
He stated that PPP owes no explanation to a foreign government, and foreign governments and spy agencies do not have the right to spy on it.
“Such insensitive operations and unacceptable interference in the affairs of a political party of a sovereign country will serve no purpose except to increase resentment and distrust,” he added.
COMMENTS (26)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
The US is running many covert operations under the cover of NSA, PRISM and Echelon were used to spy on the social activities all around the globe. NSA snooped into all communications, military, economic and political institutions that is a shameless act and violation of international norms and inalienable human rights of liberty. Pakistan need to be strict and sensible while formulating the national security policy to develop a Cyber policy in IT sector that can prevent the classified information from getting into foreign hands. Pakistan should protest against the NSA spying international community to assure the diplomatic ties remain intact.
This indicates that through outsourcing and contracting, U.S is breaching the fundamental rights of citizens by getting access to their most personal communications. It offers us a rare chance to reexamine the integrity of American politicians and the management of American-dominant Internet companies, and it appears that while many of these individuals verbally attack other nations and people in the name of freedom and democracy. Pakistan needs to demand for a positive answer and record her objection.
The recent NSA revelation that it did full spying on the political parties of Pakistan especially Pakistan Peoples’ Party come across with astonishment and strong denunciation. What is the reason of USA being so insecure from not only Pakistan but from its political parties also. This is also quite questionable that how Government of United States of America itself allows for this espionage. Does USA following that ‘all is fair in love and war’? Or does this relate to any personal phobia of USA against Pakistan? USA which boosts on civil liberty and human rights itself is a big violators after NSA secret spying working revealed by Snowden.
Being an American I literally condemn the snooping activities of NSA being conducted over states like Pakistan. Being the national of USA even we have got no security and have been the victim of surveillance activities of NSA. This is actually in violation of international law but the other way round, where America has all the way right to do anything being sole super power at the verge of securing its national security interests. Because these international law and norms are also USA dominated and can do nothing in case of USA wrong deeds. This is the dilemma. Pakistan has waged a war against terrorism where it had to make sacrificed its soldiers and at the end USA is rewarding the country like this. The snooping process of NSA would make USA friendliness in this international system.
It is not to believe, how ignorant has been the Pakistani Governments and its spy agencies as well as its citizens? The American latest Spy system under the name 'Prism' is able to monitor the communications of the entire population of Pakistan and Afghanistan; and has been monitoring the entire poltical and military spectrum of the country. For over a decade, the German Chancellor private mobile phone and that of other political elites as well as the entire population of 80 millions data is recorded by the American spy system. Edward Snowdon, the CIA operative have discolsed this information through leading western media, who is now in exile on asylum visa in Moscow. The German law has been violated by Obama & co, and the parliamentry committee of the Bundestag is currently investigating this issue!! The German Government has protested and asked for an apology and so has the Brazilian Prime Minister, but of no avail. Mr Obama has promised that the Chancellor private telephone will no longer be monitored as long as he is in ofice. And Pakistan foreign office is now protesting; were they living on another planet until now. Islamabad is the epicentre of CIA net work for the subcontinent.
Rex Minor
While the Pakistani government, its citizens, and internet activists are justified in their reaction to the all-pervasive surveillance, they should know that their protests will probably not stop the US government’s global surveillance activities.
However, there is a lesson that can be learned from the US for countries like Pakistan dealing with terrorism: that they should carefully balance privacy rights and security while involving citizens, rather than keeping them uninformed about measures that seem designed to ensure their security but sacrifice their privacy.
The U.S. has repeatedly committed a number of violations with reference to international law and norms. One of the significant episodes out of such is the recent National Security Agency scam of snooping on American allies, foes and their own citizens – the project was called PRISM (Planning Tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization, and Management). This was a gross violation of the basic and inalienable human right of liberty. NSA snooped into all the communications at will in shameless gross violation of laws and international norms.
Britain, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand had established a joint intelligence gathering system called Echelon back in 2000. Major purpose of this system was to examine keywords in faxes, telexes and emails. There were robust doubts in Europe that Echelon was being used to benefit American companies contest against those based in Europe. It is not identified what connection there may be amid PRISM and Echelon, but it is plausible to accept that PRISM is an extension of Echelon. If so, it increases the likelihood that PRISM has an economic component and is not limited to antiterrorism efforts. So Pakistan has to be vigilant because it is dealing with Iran and China on economic grounds by Gas Pipe Line and Gwadar Port respectively. Thus Pakistan has to record her objection on every legitimate and international forum regarding this scam.
Fine, Americans snooped over PPP in Pakistan and also the BJP in India. What did they get ? Big zero. Some one made money and uncle Sam got nothing but eggs on his face. Can anybody enlighten us if Americans got any worthwhile information out of this entire money guzzling exercise ? Till end American did not have a clue if BJP will be forming the government in India. Half of the BJP leaders in India did not know even their own fate. No wonder America is sliding downhill very fast.
PPP complaining?! After their interior minister offered the US access to entire govt databases?
NSA should stop its illegal activities. Its against international law. Spying on Pakistan people party is against our domestic laws and being champions of Global human rights US should respect the integrity and personal as well institutional freedom.
@Blunt: Everyone has a lock in the door. I am not going to leave my door open. This is a real world and not an utopian dream.
OK, maybe time for PPP to start doing dharnas!
You must be joking!! Spying on PPP for what?
This proves IK's rigging charges. Why didn't NSA spy on PTI? Obama should openly come out and say it helped in election rigging so PML-N could win.
International violation !? wow -Lets pack our bags and head for the UN to protest. I would say about 200 Foreign office employees would be sufficient. We can use the new PIA plane and leftover development funds from the last aid package
@John B: Everyone does so and so that's why it is justified for me too to do so. What a logic!!! May I know what is the highest accolade in the logic fraternity?
I think ET needs to seriously look into its editorial capabilities... English is aweful!
How many people voted for PPP in the 2008 elections which brought PPP to power - maybe 15 million votes. Well then 15 million dumb and ignorant people. I mean how could sane people vote for a party which makes such stupid, outrageous and meaningless statements. If PML-N was not worthy of winning then PPP is not worthy today of even existing as a sane political force.
Having close friendship with USA and excessively dependence upon US' aid definitely mean and prove that your everything is under US' control and US has full right to interfere in your any confidential matters and you can't resist just because of beggary and slavery and NSA shall be recording PML-N's leadership's calls also and as far as US' apology is concerned then US shall never apologize to you do whatever you can because US till now never accepted its crimes regarding interference in the other countries' confidential matters in any means and manifestations so never live in the fools' paradise and even never imagine because practical US' apology is so so so far and impossible......
The role of spying agency is to spy. The concept of spying has evolved from sabotage and deception of the past to gather information and analysis.
Every country does the spying analysis on foreign country and political parties in their self interest.
Every country in the world also spies on the US political process, and peddle their influence in the US congress through lobbyists. PAK is no exception.
Apologies are demanded by organizations or parties having some kind of or any kind of credibility or standing, corruption party is sadly mistaken if it thinks it’s going to be taken seriously,not even locally but internationally! Infact,I would ask them to watch out now, Nicholas Sarkozy has be charged with corruption already and some of his shady deals were traced to this one individual known as Mr. 110 %
Dear PPP, Sorry to hear the bad news, but you have just become a member of a very large club. Of course if you reciprocated you would probably be found guilty of espionage.
Back in 2010 Pakistan was considered Jihad Central by the entire World - and guess who was in power back then? I rest my case.
the irony in this story!
Mr.10%...Baby Bhutto...Qaim Shah..all need to declare off shore accounts. After that,... it will be fine.