Son of former CJP ‘selling’ PTI ticket: NA approves panel to investigate audio leak

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has unanimously approved the constitution of a Special Committee of the House to probe the reported audio of the son of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, who was heard selling a PTI ticket to a candidate of the Punjab provincial assembly, claiming that his father had to work hard to get the ticket sanctioned.

The proposal for setting up the house committee was mooted by the federal parliamentary secretary communication, Shahida Akhtar Ali. It is likely that the committee would be formed by Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf this week and it would ask for a forensic of the audio.

On the basis of the forensic report, former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, his son Najam Saqib and all the people involved in the alleged scam would be summoned by the committee for questioning.

Highly-placed parliamentary sources told The News here late Tuesday evening that the speaker will designate members of the committee on the recommendations of various leaders of the Parliamentary Group.

The NA Speaker will determine the timeline for the committee to complete its task and has been authorized to designate the head of the Special Committee. It will define its terms of reference (TORs).

The sources said the committee would start working this week and the investigation agencies would be asked to probe the matter on a scientific basis. The sources said that the ruling alliance is keen to complete the process within a week or a maximum of 10 days.

The mover of the committee, Shahida Akhtar Ali, while addressing the National Assembly, said that these days the supremacy of parliament is being hammered. Referring to the audio affair of Justice (retd) Saqib Nisar’s son, she demanded an investigation into the veracity of the audio and asked for summoning all relevant people to record their statements, including the former chief justice. Referring to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly-2007, she asked for setting up a parliamentary committee under Section 244 of the rules. If the committee summons the former chief justice for questioning or probe, he would be the first chief justice of the country to be called for such questioning by parliament.

Shahida Akhtar Ali, through her motion, has authorized the NA Speaker to nominate the chairman/chairperson of the Special Committee.