‘Play’ On Foreign Conspiracy Cypher, Imran Tells Top Bureaucrat In Leaked Audio
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan claimed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was behind the leak of a purported audio of his conversation with bureaucrat Azam Khan on a cypher long cited by the PTI chairman as evidence of an international conspiracy to oust him from office.
“Shehbaz Sharif and all are behind this leak,” Khan told journalists. He welcomed the leak sardonically saying it bode well. “They have done a great job,” he said. Asked to clarify by what he meant by his use of the term “play” in the audio, Khan said he was yet to commence his “innings”. and the recording, the former PM can be allegedly heard directing his principal secretary on how what needed to be done was just “play” on the cypher. “All we need to do is play on this cypher,” he can allegedly be heard saying.
The development follows in the wake of audio recordings of PM Shehbaz in conversation with senior government functionaries on Sunday. PM Shehbaz earlier said on Tuesday that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif had sought no favour while commenting on the recent audio leaks featuring conversations between functionaries of note.
The prime minister made the comments while speaking to journalists. He said Maryam had never sought any favour for son-law Raheel. Dr Tauqeer, he said, was speaking to him about how Raheel had imported machinery for a sugar mill from India during the PTI’s stint in office. One half of the mill’s fixtures had been imported when trade with India was halted. Raheel’s application, he said, was on facilitating the import of the remaining machinery. The matter would have been placed before the Economic Coordination Committee since trade with India stood halted, the prime minister said. “The federal cabinet would have perused it after.” Shehbaz said it was then decided to not pursue the matter given the Indian connection.
