IN the season of unreason that is politics today, one may be sure that at every turn principle will be sacrificed at the altar of expediency. So it seems to be with the recent audio leak pertaining to the distribution of PTI nomination tickets in Punjab which appeared to feature the son of a former chief justice of Pakistan.

In it, he is seemingly heard demanding a reward for his father’s “hard work” to ensure that the individual at the other end, said to be Abuzar Chaddhar, obtained a ticket. In a phone conversation with another man, identified as Mian Uzair, the former judge’s son refers to the ticket aspirant and tells him to “take no less than 120”.

On Wednesday, National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf formed a 10-member parliamentary team to examine the leaked audio with the assistance of any investigative agency deemed relevant.

The ongoing audio leaks saga has been edifying in various ways. It has exposed pretensions of probity on the part of some influential personalities, as well as the manner in which public opinion is manipulated through disinformation.

Some of the leaked conversations have compromised the reputations of those who must be above reproach. Certainly, where the audio clips appear to indicate a breaking of the law or a violation of one’s oath, an investigation is warranted.

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If confirmed to be fact, then appropriate sanctions or, at the very least, public censure is in order; if proven to be doctored, they must be discredited as such.

However, the steady drip-drip of leaks has also laid bare the brazen abuse of power by those conducting such surveillance and the willingness of the political elite to go along with the underhand tactic so long as it serves their ends.

There is no outrage on the part of those currently ‘in favour’ over the fact that private conversations are being recorded and deployed for political gain — only exultation at the other side being caught with their hand in the cookie jar — although they themselves were recently at the receiving end. Even the Prime Minister Office, as we saw not long ago, is not considered out of bounds.

It is a remarkably short-sighted approach by the political leadership as a whole. Do they not realise that these leaks only strengthen the hand of unelected forces while undermining civilians?

When the tables are turned — and going by the history of this country, that is bound to happen at some point — their private conversations too will be made available for general consumption.

Neither side wins in this situation; the only victors are those releasing choice bits of conversation into the public domain to control the political landscape. It is high time an investigation homed in on the culprits behind the leaks.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023