Alleged audiotape: Petition against Asad Qaiser dismissed

SWABI: An official of the District Election Commission here on Thursday dismissed the petition against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

The hearing into the case was not held Wednesday as the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) of Swabi had not got the forensic analysis of Asad’s audio from the chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).

The forensic analysis was not received from the PEMRA chairman but despite that, the hearing was held at Swabi Deputy Commissioner’s Office.

The first hearing into the case was held on Dec 13 and his lawyer had sought some time but the second hearing did not take place on Dec 15.

Asad Qaiser’s counsel, Mohammad Ali Advocate, argued that the audio which had gone viral on social media and telecast by some TV channels, was in fact an old one and did not pertain to the ongoing election campaign for the local government election, demanding that the case should be disposed of. After the hearing, the DG Khan, DMO of the district Election Commission of Pakistan, dismissed the petition.