Screengrab of P.M. Shehbaz Sharif’s national address
Pakistan, no stranger to “leaks” of recorded audio conversations between senior political figures, is in the midst of a potential national security crisis following a hacker putting up for sale over a hundred hours of conversations recorded at the Prime Minister’s Office—covering the tenures of both incumbent P.M. Shehbaz Sharif and former prime minister Imran Khan.
Over the weekend, three audio clips—that had started circulating earlier this month—went viral on social media. All three recordings appear to have been recorded at the Prime Minister’s Office and have yet to be denied as false by any government official. In one, the prime minister is discussing with a government official the possibility of PMLN leader Maryam Nawaz’s family importing some machinery from India; in another, members of the federal cabinet are discussing the phased-wise acceptance of PTI lawmakers’ resignations; and the third appears to be a private conversation between Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
In a statement, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the audio leaks have proven that “nothing illegal happened,” adding the conversation concerning the import of machinery showed no unfair advantage was being provided to anyone, even if they were related to the ruling party.
Similarly, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told Geo News the clips had portrayed a “better image” of the government, showcasing its adherence to governance and fair play. He also sought to downplay the incident by claiming it wasn’t a very “serious” matter, as audio recordings were commonplace. However, he said, the matter was currently under investigation, adding all relevant security agencies would be included in the probe.
He also stressed it was premature to claim the security of the Prime Minister’s Office had been breached, while admitting it would be a “serious issue” if any spying device were found at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The key question is whether the leaks were a result of hack—suggested by the quantity of recordings being offered for sale—or are part of a planned bugging operation. A majority of the criticism from both the ruling coalition and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has centered on the “bugging” of the Prime Minister’s Office, with PTI leader Shireen Mazari especially questioning who had bugged it.
“Who ordered bugging of PMO and PM House, which allowed hacking and leaks?” she questioned. “Which intelligence agency carried out this bugging and who was responsible for abetting leaks? These leaks were public since August and early September,” she said in a posting on Twitter.
PMLN leader Talal Chaudhry, addressing a press conference in Faisalabad, said the government was taking issue of the audio leaks “very seriously,” maintaining the national security and the sanctity of the Prime Minister’s House were at stake. “Who is targeting the P.M. House? Are there remnants of the Khalai Makhlooq that had brought Imran Khan to power, supported his government, and are worried after he [Imran] was sent home?” he said, referring to the military establishment and its widely publicized support for the PTI chairman ahead of the 2018 general elections.
He also questioned which state officials could be safe from espionage if even the P.M. House was being bugged, adding that an in-depth probe would clarify the situation.
Similarly, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the “very concerning” incident required a strict response and told a press conference in Multan that he would urge the prime minister to investigate who was responsible.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain alleged the leaks were a part of a cyberattack. “The hacker has asked for $345,000 for detailed record, that is about 8GB. The conversations include political, economic and security related issues,” he wrote on Twitter, referring to a posting on the dark web that is offering over 100 hours of recorded conversations for sale at a minimum price of 180BTC, or roughly $3.4 million.
Concerns have also been voiced over the potential of an “inside job,” with some cybersecurity experts saying the number of conversations being offered for sale suggest either a massive data breach or the willful sharing of data with the hacker.