Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to take notice of the alleged audio leak of former Punjab chief Minister Pervez Elahi and other two people.
“I have tasked the Federal Investigation Agency to review it and take advice from the law ministry on that on the face of it against Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. A case should be registered against him and he should be arrested. Firstly, a forensic should be conducted. If it’s his voice and the second person will also come to light and the ‘Joja’ will also be known,” he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
He went on to add that this matter should be probed and a case should be registered against him if the forensic is true. “If it goes further, then it should be sent to CJP and the judicial committee so that the sanctity and respect of the judiciary could be restored,” he added.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s was allegedly talking about managing the courts in the leaked “audio tape”, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
“Prima facie, Pervaiz Elahi should be arrested after the registration of a case,” said the interior minister adding the FIA has been directed to consult the law ministry.
Sanaullah claimed that it was not the first audio leak as such conversations were leaked on multiple occasions but no action was taken so that was why former Punjab CM was “fearlessly managing” the top court of the country.
“Late issuance of NOCs from other departments like the Irrigation Department, railways, etc or due to obstruction in the right of way or removal of built-up properties,” he added.
The interior minister also played the censored leaked audio clip in which the PML-Q leader was purportedly heard discussing the cases being heard in the top court. The mode of language was Punjabi in the leaked “audio tape”.
Sanaullah claimed that he censored the alleged leaked audio clips as he did not want to reveal the identity of the superior court judge before forensic analysis.
“How courageously he [Pervaiz Elahi] was managing the country’s top court. I will request the chief justice to take notice of this,” he remarked.
Reacting to the development, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry expressed concerns over the way the interior minister “defended and owned it” while talking to Aaj News. He alleged that the intelligence bureau tapped it on the orders of the government Sanaullah.
“It was released on a day when Supreme Court judge Justice Mazahir Naqvi took notice of transfer postings,” he said, alleging that the interior minister in addition to PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz was involved in propaganda against the judiciary.
Sanaullah did a “dangerous” press conference, Fawad said and added that the apex court should take notice and summon the interior minister.
In a series of tweets, Pervez said that a wrong impression was being given to his conversation with a lawyer regarding the Muhammad Khan Bhatti case and that there was “nothing wrong” with it.
“Muhammad Khan Bhatti has been missing for 10 days,” he said, adding that his wife had also approached the Supreme Court in this regard.
He questioned what was wrong with a person approaching a court of law seeking justice. “The PML-N leadership is running a systematic campaign against the judiciary. We have always respected the judiciary.”
