China, Iran diplomats among people in Pegasus list: Report

A number once used by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and those of dozens of diplomats in India from countries such as China and Iran are among potential targets selected by users of the Pegasus spyware programme, according to media reports on Monday.

Paris-based Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International have gained access to a leaked list of more than 50,000 records of phone numbers that clients of the Israeli company NSO Group, the developer of Pegasus, selected for surveillance. More than 1,000 phone numbers in India were part of the list, according to 17 media outlets that examined the list. The records included at least one number once used by Prime Minister Khan and that had been selected by a NSO client for surveillance, The Washington Post and Le Monde reported.

"Not surprisingly, Pakistan is the most scrutinised country," Le Monde said in its report.

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"The numbers of Imran Khan and several of his ambassadors in India appear on the list as potential targets. Dozens of other Delhi-based diplomats and ambassadors are also included, from Iran, Afghanistan, China, Nepal and Saudi Arabia," the report added.