IHC wants to know who records audios

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday asked the government to inform it about the elements responsible for recording audios and stopped the special parliamentary body from proceeding against former chief justice (CJP) Saqib Nisar’s son, reports Geo News.

Justice Babar Sattar made the remarks while hearing a plea filed by Najam Saqib, son of ex-CJP Nisar, against a special committee formed by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to probe audio clips allegedly featuring his voice.

Moreover, Justice Sattar suspended the summoning notice issued to Najam by the special committee and removed the Registrar’s Office’s objections to the application. The court also issued notices to the federal government, asking it to appraise the court on the origins of the audios by June 19.

“Who records these audios?” Justice Sattar asked, seeking a response from the federal government, further wondering under what authority the special committee took notice.

Advocate Latif Khosa, on behalf of the petitioner, told the court that the rules for the special committee would be the same as for the general committee.

The judge responded that he would have to make the concerned ministry a party to the case. “There is no relevant ministry in this matter, but we will do so,” Khosa said.

He added: “We only challenged that the speaker and the assembly do not have the authority to look into private matters. The petition does not challenge the matter which is pending in the Supreme Court.” “The audio leak is an alleged conversation between two private individuals that Parliament has no right to see,” he maintained.

The judge further inquired: “You have also been a governor. Tell me, who records these audios?”

“Let the parties answer first, then everything will be clear,” Najam’s counsel responded.