Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan claimed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was behind the leak of a purported audio of his conversation with bureaucrat Azam Khan on a cypher long cited by the PTI chairman as evidence of an international conspiracy to oust him from office.
“Shehbaz Sharif and all are behind this leak,” Khan told journalists. He welcomed the leak sardonically saying it bode well. “They have done a great job,” he said. Asked to clarify by what he meant by his use of the term “play” in the audio, Khan said he was yet to commence his “innings”.
“Shehbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz has released my audio conversation (with Azam Khan)”, says #ImranKhan pic.twitter.com/9EbgPiVzrD
— Naya Daur Media (@nayadaurpk) September 28, 2022
In the recording, the former PM can be allegedly heard directing his principal secretary on how what needed to be done was just “play” on the cypher. “All we need to do is play on this cypher,” he can allegedly be heard saying.
The development follows in the wake of audio recordings of PM Shehbaz in conversation with senior government functionaries on Sunday.
PM Shehbaz earlier said on Tuesday that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif had sought no favour while commenting on the recent audio leaks featuring conversations between functionaries of note.
The prime minister made the comments while speaking to journalists. He said Maryam had never sought any favour for son-law Raheel. Dr Tauqeer, he said, was speaking to him about how Raheel had imported machinery for a sugar mill from India during the PTI’s stint in office. One half of the mill’s fixtures had been imported when trade with India was halted. Raheel’s application, he said, was on facilitating the import of the remaining machinery. The matter would have been placed before the Economic Coordination Committee since trade with India stood halted, the prime minister said. “The federal cabinet would have perused it after.” Shehbaz said it was then decided to not pursue the matter given the Indian connection.
The prime minister contrasted the turn of events with how audio pertaining to PTI chairman Imran Khan received a muted response. “Has anybody even heard the conversation on diamonds being presented? What about land gifted to them,” Shehbaz asked. He said nobody had commented on the latter audios but everybody was commenting on the former.
The prime minister said the recent audio leaks purportedly featuring voices of senior government functionaries constituted a grave lapse. Shehbaz said any well-wisher wanting to speak in confidence would think twice before proceeding to the Prime Minister’s House (PMO) thinking how it was bugged. He said the matter was not about him as a individual. It instead, he said, constituted an affront to the dignity of millions of Pakistanis and the State (of Pakistan).
Shehbaz said he had taken notice of the matter and a high-powered committee will be constituted to probe the matter. The committee, he assured, would ascertain the truth of the matter.
This audio is about maligning the institution as there was no PDM government at the time so he can’t kid yourself that it’s his worst fear come true.