There is a new development in the controversy surrounding the leaked audio clip, allegedly featuring the voice of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, with a local news channel ARY News reporting that the vidoe is edited.
The report is based on a forensic analysic of the clip by an American firm which found that the clip “is doctored and made up of multiple clips”.
“The forensic report issued by US company Primeau Forensics stated that changes in the tone of the person speaking in the audio clip in question were observed multiple times,” the channel reported.
In the audio clip, a voice, allegedly of the former chief justice, can be heard saying: “Let me be a little blunt about it. Unfortunately, here it is the institutions that dictate judgements. In this case, we will have to punish Mian Sahab (Nawaz Sharif). [I] have been told ‘we have to bring Khan Sahab (Imran Khan) [into power].’”
Nisar, however, has refused to accept that it was his voice and termed it fabricated. Moreover, PM Imran Khan during his address at the Kamyab Jawan Convention had also termed the leaked audiotape a "drama."
As per the Primeau Forensics report, the person can be heard speaking from a distance in the first 25 seconds of the clip, while in the last 20 seconds, he is speaking from near the recording device, which shows that some of the 45-second clip was recorded in one place and the other at a different place.
The report further stated that Primeau Forensics holds 30 years of experience in forensic analyses of audio clips and videos and has conducted forensic investigations of 5,000 videos, audio clips, and pictures. It has provided expert opinion to local, governmental, and federal courts in 500 cases and American TV channels, Associated Press, and other big agencies are among its clients.
When asked about senior journalist Ahmed Noorani’s news report, which claimed the audio clip is not fabricated, the forensics company stated that “the clip comprises bits taken from more than a single source, recorded in two different environments.”
Speaking about the development to a private TV channel, former top judge Nisar said: “Thanks to the Almighty that the truth has been revealed today.”
'Propaganda continues'
Meanwhile, Noorani claimed that "propaganda" in the country continues. He claimed that his story was based on a forensic analysis conducted by a credible US firm. He posted a series of tweets to support his claims.
The journalist accused the news channel running the report of ''spreading lies".
'Shehzad Akbar on PML-N'
Talking to APP, Adviser to the PM on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar said that a reputed forensic audit company had confirmed that the audio leak of former CJP Justice Saqib Nisar was made up of multiple audio clips.
The adviser claimed that this was part of the PML-N's camaign to malign institutions using fake claims, while citing the episode of the Calibri font, and the affidavit of former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim. "They [PML-N] do not answer the basic query and opt for forgery and falsification," he added.
"Maryam Nawaz has demanded an acquittal on the basis of this audio clip but they (PML-N) haven't presented anything [evidence] before the court because they understand that they will get punished if they did it in the same way they presented the [documents written in] Calibri font," he said.
