Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday that the government had not permitted any intelligence agency to tap audio conversations.
He disclosed this during the hearing of a petition filed by ex-premier Imran Khan’s spouse Bushra Bibi seeking action against a leaked conversation, allegedly featuring her and PTI leader Latif Khosa.
On Dec 6, the former first lady approached the IHC and contended that the recording beached the right to dignity and privacy ensured by Article 14 of the Constitution. The application, filed in the IHC through Khosa, cited the principal secretary to the prime minister and secretaries of defence and interior as respondents.
At the previous hearing, IHC’s Justice Babar Sattar had sought reports from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and other relevant authorities on the audio leak.
- During the hearing, the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) submitted a report from the Prime Minister’s Office stating that ISI, FIA, and IB are not allowed to record conversations.
- AGP emphasized that if any agency is recording conversations, it is doing so illegally, and the FIA is investigating the source of the leaked audio under court directives.
- Justice Sattar questioned the rationale behind the ISI filing a report through the Ministry of Defence instead of directly through the PMO.
- Pemra’s counsel mentioned that TV channels are prohibited from broadcasting private audio leaks, and the matter has been referred to the authority’s Council of Complaints.
- Justice Sattar sought clarification on Pemra’s effectiveness as a regulator and instructed the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority to submit a detailed report.
- The judge emphasized the balance between freedom of expression and privacy, instructing the FIA and others to refile their responses and warning of appointing advisers if the government fails to provide information.
- The AGP was tasked with verifying any news claiming that the IB had been granted authority to record conversations.
- Justice Sattar assured that the seriousness of the matter would be addressed, and the hearing was adjourned.
The leaked conversation
In the clip that surfaced on social media, a voice suggested to be of Bibi tells her lawyer that Imran’s sisters were not happy with her for hiring him. - As per the clip, Bibi told her sisters-in-law that she will hand all cases, which were being delayed, to Khosa. She also purportedly said that Imran’s sister had claimed that Khosa misbehaved with her.
- The voice suggested to belong to the former first lady also shared that Imran’s sisters were also not happy with her statement in which she expressed apprehension that the PTI chairman could be poisoned in jail.
- During the conversation, Khosa said he did not misbehave with the sisters and only told them that they should let him fight the case without interference.