PPP lodges formal protest with US over NSA spying

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sunday formally lodged its protest with the U.S. over National Security agency (NSA) spying the party, Geo News reported.

In a letter sent to US Ambassador Richard Olson, PPP Secretary General Raja Pervez Ashraf expressed his party concern over the role of US agencies.

The letter stated that the spying of a political party by National Security Agency (NSA) was against the moral values and international laws, adding that it will not be tolerated at any cost.

It also said that such activities would affect the bilateral ties, therefore, the PPP urged upon the U.S. to amend their laws to stem such illegal acts forthwith.

Under a 2010 certification approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), NSA was permitted to spy on 193 foreign governments as well as foreign factions, political organisations and other entities, Washington Post had reported.

According to the certification, the agency would require new certification approved by the court to permit such surveillance under Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act.
Sparing Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand with whom US has broad no-spying arrangements, the NSA was allowed to spy on 193 countries including Pakistan.
The list also includes two factions of foreign nations Palestinian Authority; Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on NSA’s radar.

What was most shocking revelation was the fact that under the FISA court certification NSA was even authorised to spy on foreign-based political organisations including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from Pakistan and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from India.