A mole inside PML-N under watch

ISLAMABAD: A suspected mole within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is under watch of its top leadership after it was noted that the confidential discussions taking place in close circles, even the whispering, directly transmits to the ‘intended recipients’ who are keeping an eye on the party’s politics in this time of crisis.

The person under question is apparently considered close to Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz and has acted as messenger at times in and outside the party, an official privy to the development told The News.

The suspicion arose due to the unnecessary use of AirPods, which are wireless Bluetooth airbuds created by Apple phone manufacturing company. “There is a device installed in that person’s AirPods which bugs meeting,” according to the source. The suspect tends to “forget” AirPods in the meeting or somewhere close to important leaders in case the suspect has to go somewhere else. The plot thickens when some observers noted that very confidential information discussed in close-door meetings reached to the undesired elements within no time.

AirPods are generally used to attend calls when one is away from iPhone or don’t want to hold it in hands but the attendant has to be within the radius of 5-6 meters. Beyond that, they stop working, according to the manufacturer. However, concerns have been raised even in the US that AirPods can be used for spying purpose. But that is possible by leaving phone in a room with someone, turn on the “Live Listen” option and hear the conversation on AirPods while sitting in the adjacent room.

However, in the case under question, the suspect has often been found without phone presumably left somewhere in the car parked outside the range wherefrom AirPods could catch signals. Suspicions grew when the person under question would make it a regular feature wearing AirPods during the close-door meetings. A spying chip, if installed in the AirPods, is capable of catching the conversation even the whispering, the source said. Through this way, one can listen live from miles away the conversation taking place within the radius of two kilometers of AirPods.

For some party leaders, spying by this suspect isn’t a shock for them given their background knowledge about the person’s relations with elements turned hostile against the party leadership. The suspect is considered a well-placed person designated with a role of messenger in and outside the party.

“At times, it becomes difficult to determine who is with us and who is against us,” said an influential party figure venting out frustration about in-road being created in the PML-N’s ranks and files by powerful players. Regarding the suspect under question, the source said that the person is being closely watched and that the leadership is corroborating different evidences for confronting the suspect.