Rana Sanaullah says culprits behind audio leaks identified

• Thorough investigation into audio leaks underway.
• Report to be presented before Prime Minister.
• PM to decide to what extent the report be shared.

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Monday said the culprits behind the audio leaks had been identified, adding that the modus operandi of stealing those sound bites was not bugging but telephone tapping.

“Under the directives of the prime minister and the National Security Council, an investigation is underway, the results of which will be presented before the premier, and then it will be decided to what extent the findings be shared,” Sanaullah said while speaking during the Geo News' programme "Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Ke Saath".

He said it was not any agency’s deed, but the work of the Prime Minister House staffers, adding, “people do these things for money as well.”

The recent surfacing of audio clips, allegedly from an important meeting held in the Prime Minister’s House, has raised serious questions on the security of such an important government building.

The audio leak saga

Several audios have been leaked online in recent days — allegedly featuring government officials and PTI leaders. 

The first tape allegedly featured Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a senior official. It contained a discussion regarding PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz asking her uncle for a power plant to be imported from India for her son-in-law.

On September 25, two more audios were leaked on social media. One of them was related to a discussion about the PTI lawmakers’ resignations and the other was about former finance minister Miftah Ismail.

The first audio related to PTI was leaked on September 28, in which Khan allegedly told his then-principal secretary Azam Khan to "play" on the US cypher.

The second PTI audio leak came to the fore on September 30, which allegedly exposed Khan's conspiracy narrative.

In it, the then-prime minister Khan, ex-minister Asad Umar, and the then-principal secretary Azam could allegedly be heard discussing the US cypher in a meeting and how to use it to their (PTI’s) advantage.

Following the back-to-back leaks, the National Security Council (NSC) approved the formation of a high-level committee under the leadership of Sanauallah to investigate the matter.

In its meeting just a day after on September 30, the federal cabinet also endorsed NSC's decision to probe the matter thoroughly.

However, despite the government's decision to investigate the matter, a couple more audios were leaked featuring Khan and his aides.

In the first of the two audios leaked on October 7, Khan could allegedly be heard speaking about horse-trading and discussing ‘buying five’ and ‘numbers game’. However, he was speaking alone and no one else could be heard.

In another audio leaked later in the same day, the former prime minister was allegedly talking about making a plan ahead of the no-confidence motion with PTI leaders Shireen Mazari and Asad Umar.