Pak Govt to shut down country’s first private detective agency

April 16th, 2011 - 2:58 pm ICT by ANI  

Lahore, April 16(ANI): The Pakistan Government is considering shutting down the country’s first private detective company “Fact Finders”, terming its functioning as illegal and unconstitutional, sources have revealed.

“A leading intelligence agency has forwarded its report to the Interior Ministry, asking the federal government ‘to ensure strict action’ against the so-called private detective company found involved in illegal, unconstitutional and espionage activities,” The Nation quoted an official, as saying on the condition of anonymity.

According to sources, the main motivating factor behind this illegal project is said to be Musarrat Misbah, a leading beautician in Pakistan, who not only runs many top beauty clinics across the country, but also an NGO ‘Smile Again’ helping female acid victims.

Sources revealed that the private detectives of the Fact Finders company get special ’spy make-up’ that help them conceal their identity, adding that these detectives also use latest technology and other equipment to collect evidence for their clients.

“They intercept and record private telephonic conversations, regularly follow their targets and covertly take pictures and make videos for their clients as evidence,” a source said.

However, Fact Finders Chief Executive Officer Masood Haider denied that the detective company was involved in recording private phone calls or espionage activities.

“To introduce legislation in this regard is the job of the government,” Masood replied on being asked as to how they were operating the private detective agency, when there was no law in this country for such operations.

The Lahore-based company claims to be ‘Pakistan’s first licensed private detective agency’ registered with the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). “But there is no direct regulatory law for private detective agencies, so the claim is totally illegitimate,” another source said.

Pakistan’s top lawyer Ahmer Bilal Soofi said that according to his knowledge, no direct regulatory law exists in the country as far as the functioning of a private detective company is concerned.

“If it (company) comes in the context of freedom of information then it is permissible but if it violates public privacy in any term, then its existence is questionable,” Soofi added. (ANI)

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