Elahi audio leak: PBC to discuss filing reference against SC judge next week

• PBC convenes meeting of all heads of provincial bar councils.
• Meeting likely to take place next week in Islamabad. 
• Reference to be filed in SJC if meeting approves.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has decided to summon a meeting to ponder over filing a reference against a Supreme Court judge over leaked audio, purportedly involving the judge and former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi, The News reported Sunday.

In the leaked audio, Elahi — a close ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan — can be heard allegedly talking about managing courts.

However, the former CM said that the conversation with a lawyer has been taped and distorted and that there is nothing wrong in the audio.

The PBC has convened a meeting of all heads of provincial bar councils including the Islamabad Bar Council to file the reference in the Supreme Judicial Council (JSC).

Hassan Raza Pasha, the chairman executive committee of the PBC, said in order to deliberate on the glaring issue, the council had convened a meeting next week — possibly on February 23 — in Islamabad. 

Vice chairpersons of all provincial bar councils as well as the chairman of Islamabad Bar Council would be invited to the meeting, he confirmed to The News.

He said that once the meeting deliberates and approves the filing of the reference, it would be filed in the SJC, and the meeting decision might also be shared with the media.

He said he had held a press conference in Lahore some days ago and demanded a forensic test of the alleged audio tape. Separately, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Abid S Zubairi had termed the audio leaks as doctored. 

“I have gone through the audio recording and I categorically state that this audio is doctored,” Zubairi had said.