Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif has admitted that the audio clip circulating on social media, in which she can be heard instructing that Channel 24, ARY News, 92 News, and Samma should not be given any advertisements at all, is authentic.
Maryam was responding to a question during a press conference held earlier today in which she was asked to confirm the authenticity of the clip being shared on social media.
In an apparent reference to Samaa TV’s claim that Saqib Nisar’s leaked audio was a compilation from his different speeches, Maryam said, “Yes, my audio is genuine…I will not say that it was put together by extracting clips from my different speeches”.
Meanwhile, federal ministers seized on the opportunity by saying that Maryam had admitted to wrongdoing. Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari wrote on Twitter,” finally she has said something truthful! Point is on what authority did she give these orders?”
Chalo finally she has said something truthful! Point is on what authority did she give these orders? Did she assume NS was running his personal kingdom where she as his daughter could pass official orders? pic.twitter.com/qlWshgjDj0
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 24, 2021
Maryam Aurengzeb, spokesperson for the PML-N, while responding to the controversy, said that Maryam was talking about party ads and that there was no need to stir up controversy and divert attention from the real issues.
انہوں نے اس آڈیو کو مانا کیونکہ اس میں چھپانے والی کوئی بات تھی ہی نہیں
جب کچھ غلط نہ کیا ہو تو اسی طرح کھل کر اعتراف کیا جاتا ہے
اس آڈیو پر طوفان برپا کرنے کی ضرورت نہیں،اصل معاملے سے توجہ ہٹائی نہیں جاسکتی
— PML(N) (@pmln_org) November 24, 2021
During the press conference, Maryam also spoke about the alleged audio clip of former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, in which he can be heard saying that Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif should be given jail sentences because that is what the ‘institutions’ want.
