ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday filed a petition at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the “illegal surveillance” and release of audio recordings from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) online.
A slew of audio recordings of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and ex-PM Khan over the past couple of weeks have created a political storm across the South Asian country.
The government has constituted a high-powered committee to probe the cyber security breach and suggest measures to ensure the electronic security of public offices of strategic importance.
In a couple of recordings purportedly featuring Khan, the former premier can be heard discussing a diplomatic cipher with top aides. Khan has used the cipher as the basis to claim he was ousted from power by a Washington-based “foreign conspiracy” campaign.
The government of PM Sharif and Washington have both rejected the allegations.
“Form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) or a commission for undertaking a detailed probe and investigation into the illegal surveillance, recording, retention, custody and release/leaking of surveillance data,” Khan stated in his petition to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Khan asked the court to issue directives to ensure the “authenticity of the audio leaks and to identify and bring to task and punish the persons responsible for authorizing and conducting the illegal surveillance.”
He also asked the court to punish all those who were involved in the collection and subsequent release of surveillance data, including the audio leaks.
“Issue a continuous mandamus to supervise the whole process so as to ensure that the JIT or commission completes its task in a satisfactory manner,” the ex-premier stated in his petition.
Khan requested the court to ensure that the practice of illegal surveillance is permanently put to an end. He requested the court to ensure that “surveillance data is identified, retrieved, secured and then destroyed, if need be, and appropriate action taken against the culprits.”
He asked the top court to direct the government and all relevant agencies to take necessary steps to prevent the release, publication, dissemination and broadcast of the surveillance data further.
Ashtar Ausaf, Pakistan’s attorney-general, said Khan had stated during a previous interview that surveillance and recording of politicians and others were important.
“So why is he panicking now,” Ausaf wondered, speaking to Arab News. “It is not the court’s job to intervene in such matters,” he added.
When asked what he would say if the apex court seeks his legal opinion, Ausaf said he would “cross that bridge when I get there.”
Other legal experts said it was the Supreme Court’s discretion whether it wanted to take up the petition or discard it.
“Audio leaks of political leaders come under the purview of the violation of fundamental rights and matter of public importance; therefore, the court may take up the matter for hearing,” Barrister Ahmed Pansota told Arab News.
“The Supreme Court has wide powers under article 184(3) of the constitution to hear matters of public importance and such past precedents are also available to quote,” he added.
