At least one number once used by Prime Minister Imran Khan, as well as the numbers of Kashmiri leaders, Pakistani diplomats, Chinese journalists, Sikh activists, and business people were targeted by India using Israeli spyware.

A collaborative investigation by The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde and other media outlets revealed that India was one of the ten countries which have been listed as a client of the NSO Group and its Pegasus malware.

A report published in Washington Post stated that hundreds of numbers from Pakistan appeared on the Indian surveillance list, including one which was once used by the premier. More than 1,000 Indian numbers were also on the list. The report did not confirm if the attempt on the premier's number was successful or not.

According to the report, journalists, activists, opposition politicians, senior officials, business executives, public health experts, Tibetan exiles and foreign diplomats were included in the list. A group of Modi critics accused of plotting to overthrow the government also appeared on the list.

Reacting to the media reports Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said in a tweet that unethical policies of the Modi government have dangerously polarized India and the region.

Minister said he is extremely concerned on the news reports emerging from the Guardian that Indian government used Israeli software to spy on journalists, political opponents and politicians.

Extremely concerned on news reports emerging from @guardiannews that Indian Govt used Israeli software to spy on Journalists,political opponents and politicians,unethical policies of #ModiGovt have dangerously polarised India and the region... more details are emerging

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) July 19, 2021

The report, based on a leaked list of 50,000 phone numbers, revealed the spying may have been far more extensive than previously thought.

The leaked numbers are believed to be connected to people identified by NSO clients as potential surveillance targets.

They include one linked to a murdered Mexican journalist and family members of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

According to the Washington Post the list contained numbers for Rahul Gandhi, India’s main opposition leader; Ashok Lavasa, a key election official among hundred of other numbers considered an obstacle to the ruling party.

According to The Guardian two numbers belonging to Rahul Gandhi were selected as candidates for possible surveillance in the year before the vote and in the months afterwards by NSO, whose spying tool Pegasus allows customers to infiltrate mobile phones and monitor messages, camera feeds and microphones.

UN urges better regulation of surveillance technology

The UN voiced alarm Monday at reports that several governments used Israeli phone malware to spy on activists, journalists and others, stressing the urgent need for better regulation of surveillance technology.

The reports about the Pegasus spyware made by Israeli firm NSO Group "confirm the urgent need to better regulate the sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology and ensure strict oversight and authorisation", UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.