ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister’s Secretariat havetaken anti spying measures over official communication on advice of thesecurity agencies.

PM secretariat officials have started using landline phones and other modeof communication to avoid a breach of sensitive communication that ispossible through cellular phones.

Sources in the federal government told *Pakistan Today* that the decisionwas taken in wake of a circular issued by the Cabinet Division about thethreat of breach of official communication after Ministry of InformationTechnology issued a warning in this regard.

On September 11, 2018, the Cabinet Division issued a letter stating that“hostile intelligence agencies have reportedly deployed modern interceptionsolutions available which are capable of monitoring cellular (voice/SMS)communication of target area of interest in Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad,to intercept cellular communication of own personnel deputed on sensitiveassignments.”

In order to minimise the threat, the Cabinet Division requested alldepartments located in close vicinity of Diplomatic Enclave to avoiddiscussing sensitive and classified official information on cellularphones, keeping mobile data option to 3G/LTE and avoiding the use of SMSfor passage of sensitive and classified information.

It was also suggested that officials should use landline telephones andresort to personal interaction for discussing sensitive and classifiedissues.

Sources said that since the PM Office is only meters away from theDiplomatic Enclave and only a road divides the two premises, the officialsin the PM Office have adopted alternatives to the use of cellular phonesfor sensitive communication.

“Even the prime minister and his staff have adopted precautionary measuresto dodge any attempt to tap the official conversation,” sources added.