LAHORE / TOBA TEK SINGH: While the ruling PML-N has demanded the resignation of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and a suo motu notice following the surfacing of an audio clip allegedly featuring an SC judge’s relative, the opposition PTI is of the view that such phone tapping is illegal and punishable by up to three years in prison.

The statements came after a tape involving two women, one of them purported to be a relative of a serving top court judge, surfaced on social media.

Federal Information and Broad­casting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, while lamenting the leaked conversation, said that when the Constitution and justice fell victim to the advice of foreign agents, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, children and mother-in-law, then the country has to suffer at the hands of thieves and liars “like Imran”, who brought inflation and unemployment, APP reported.

The minister said that PTI leaders abused the judiciary. She said if the CJP gave a verdict in favour of Imran Khan not because of the Constitution but due to the fear of his mother-in-law and upon the advice of children and wives, this will not be allowed to happen.

Marriyum says country is suffering at hands of liars ‘like Imran’; PTI renews call for probe into leaks

“Neither the nation will forgive those who play with the Constitution, nor will we spare them,” she maintained.

She said it was strange that a woman had become spokesperson for those who threw shoes at the poster of her son-in-law.

Now, elections will be held on time and not on the advice of Gen Bajwa and the mother-in-law of anyone, she added.

Call for suo motu

Separately, PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry told a presser in Lahore the leaked audio strengthened PML-N’s stance that an atmosphere was being created to benefit Imran Khan and demanded investigation into the purported audiotape.

He also demanded formation of the Supreme Court benches in line with the new law approved by the parliament.

In Faisalabad, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan while terming the alleged audiotape very alarming demanded the Supreme Court immediately take suo motu notice of it to ascertain its reality, facts and background.

At a presser on Sunday, he said the matter should be taken on a priority basis as everyone was concerned about the conversation that had been mentioned in the audio leak by naming some personalities of the judiciary.

He said that if in the forensic audit and in FIA’s inquiry, the tape is proved as fabricated, strict action should be taken against those who were involved in preparation of the tape.

He said the women were talking in the audiotape about the very serious issue of election, a matter which is being heard by the Supreme Court and are expressing their views about the case.

He recalled that a similar audio of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was also leaked earlier but no action was taken.

Mr Sanaullah said those sitting in courts were bound by the Constitution, beyond relations.

PTI seeks investigation

On its part, the PTI renewed calls for investigation into such clips and urged the Supreme Court to take notice of the leaks, Dawn.com reported.

Of late, a slew of audio leaks featuring key government and opposition figures — including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, and others — have surfaced on social media.

The PTI chief said audio leaks were a matter of fundamental rights. “I want to tell the SC today that my petition [on the matter] has been lying in the court for the last eight months. The court should now take a step on it,” he added.

PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said his party had repeatedly urged the SC to probe the series of leaks, calling them “disastrous”.

When audios from the PM Office and PM House were released, the PTI requested the SC to look into this matter, he said. “If the office of the prime minister is not secure and audios are being recorded there, then how will anyone else in the country be safe?”

“Now, judges, politicians, civil servants, and even housewives are becoming victims of this third-class thinking and no one can do anything about it,” he regretted, adding that “such illegal phone tapping is punishable by up to three years in prison under the fair trial law”.

Former minister Shireen Mazari said audio leaks involving private conversations of people showed the level of “depravity, desperation, and insanity the deep state and its puppet PDM regime is delving into with impunity”.

“Time for SC to move against such audio tapping which is clearly illegal. Sick minds!” she added.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2023