PM House Audio leaks raise many questions

-Another purported audio clip featuring govt officials surfaces on Social Media
-In leaked audio, PML-N leaders can be heard talking about London’s permission to accept PTI resignations
-Fawad says PM House data put for sale on dark web
-PTI asks who is accountable for the security of this leaked data

By Anzal Amin

ISLAMABAD: In a shocking incident, an audio clip purportedly of a meeting at PM House featuring several government officials has leaked online, it emerged Sunday, calling into question the security of PM House.
Saturday, a leaked audio had gone viral on social media — allegedly featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — containing a discussion regarding PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz asking for a power plant from India to be imported for her son-in-law.
This second leaked audio that has gone viral on social media Sunday — allegedly featuring PM Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and others — contains a discussion regarding PTI’s resignations.
In it, PML-N leaders can allegedly be heard giving their opinions over PTI’s resignations. They are also talking about London’s permission to accept the resignations. The leaked audio clip has rung alarm bells and raised serious questions about the security of PM House.
It is also being said that there are secret recording systems installed at PM House which even government representatives are unaware of. However, PML-N members and federal ministers are reluctant to speak on the matter.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, while raising questions over the cyber security situation in the country, said that PM House’s data has been put on sale on the dark web.
Taking to his Twitter handle, the PTI leader said, “It is a major failure of our intelligence agencies, especially the Intelligence Bureau (IB).” “Besides political matters, important discussion on security and foreign affairs are in their hands,” he added. Raising questions over the security of the PM Office, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said: “8GB of hacked leaks from PMO. Regardless of who is speaking, this Orwellian culture of recordings is disgusting.” The minister asked, “Who is accountable for the security of this data?”
Reacting to the leaked audio, PTI’s leader Shireen Mazari said one of the alleged audios showed the laying down of groundwork for “absconder Dar’s return”.
“The leaked audios certainly reveal the influence of convict Nawaz Sharif and his convict-on-bail daughter in the running of this imported government itself a cabal of crooks,” she added.
The “real issue” was who bugged the PMO or PM House in the first place, she went on to say.
“The hacking happened because devices were placed in these locations. So who is responsible and where did orders or decision come from? That is a question that must also be focused on,” she added.
Days earlier, a leaked audio that was gone viral on social media — allegedly featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — contained a discussion regarding PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz asking for a power plant from India to be imported for her son-in-law.
“He is our son-in-law, inform him about the issues in importing a plant from India,” PM Shehbaz allegedly said, to an unidentified man.
The unidentified man can be heard briefing the person, alleged to be the premier, about the consequences of taking the decision, to which PM Shehbaz allegedly asks him to convey all reservations to Maryam’s son-in-law and that he will personally meet him once he returns from Turkey.
At this, the other person allegedly advises PM Shehbaz to get this work done from former finance minister Ishaq Dar, to which he agrees.