IHC directs govt to identify "who records audios"

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-May 31st, 2023) Islamabad High Court (IHC) has asked the government to identify the individuals responsible for recording audio clips and has halted the special parliamentary body from taking action against the son of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar.

The request was made by Justice Babar Sattar during a hearing on a plea filed by Najam Saqib, son of ex-CJP Nisar. Najam had filed the plea against a special committee formed by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to investigate audio clips allegedly featuring his voice.

During the hearing, Justice Sattar suspended the summoning notice issued to Najam by the special committee and addressed objections raised by the Registrar's Office regarding the application. The court also issued notices to the Federal government, requiring them to provide information on the origin of the audio clips by June 19.

Justice Sattar questioned the government, asking who records these audios and seeking an explanation for the authority under which the special committee took action.

Advocate Latif Khosa, representing Najam, stated that the rules for the special committee should be the same as those for the general committee. In response, the judge mentioned the need to involve the relevant ministry in the case, to which Khosa agreed, despite there being no specific ministry involved.

Khosa emphasized that the petition challenged the authority of the speaker and the assembly to investigate private matters, but did not challenge any matters currently pending in the Supreme Court. He maintained that the audio leak was an alleged conversation between private individuals, which the parliament had no right to access.

Justice Sattar further questioned Khosa, who had previously served as a governor, asking who records these audios. In response, Najam's counsel stated that the parties involved should provide an answer first before everything becomes clear.