Home Latest News Audio Leaks: ‘Spoon-feed the Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq Narrative’

Audio Leaks: ‘Spoon-feed the Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq Narrative’

Yet another alleged audio recording of Imran Khan and other PTI leaders discussing their strategy on the diplomatic cipher goes viral

by Jahanzeb Aslam

Less than 12 hours after an audio recording of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan allegedly discussing horse-trading was leaked on social media, yet another audio recording of the ousted prime minister surfaced, featuring him allegedly instructing party leaders to build a narrative around “Mir Jafar” and “Mir Sadiq.”

The latest audio recording—titled “The Real Story of the Cipher – Part 3”—is the fourth private conversation allegedly featuring the PTI chairman to be leaked to the public. While three of the tapes focused solely on the PTI’s debunked “foreign conspiracy” narrative, the fourth one appeared to suggest Khan had indulged in “horse-trading,” an offense he had earlier linked to disbelief in God.

The most recent clip appears to have been recorded after the PTI had already voiced its allegations of the U.S. instigating a “regime change” in Pakistan, as then-human rights minister Shireen Mazari can be heard discussing China’s reaction to Khan’s claims. It also appears to be before the vote of no-confidence—though it is unclear if it occurred before April 3, when the vote was due to be held, or April 9, when the vote was actually held after Supreme Court intervention—as Khan aims to “brand” as traitors any lawmakers who attend parliamentary proceedings.

The latest clip begins with then-planning minister Asad Umar allegedly saying “one more thing, in hindsight, the actions we’ve taken with regards to this letter, we should have started them a week or 10 days earlier,” as an unidentified individual agrees. “This letter, as we are thinking about it, has had an impact across the world,” responds Khan, with Mazari interjecting that the “Chinese have issued an official statement, I sent you that yesterday, [inaudible comment] that they condemn America’s interference in our internal affairs.”

At this Khan continues: “The strategy now is that the public is with us, we have to use the public pressure … we want, this Sunday, to have such a hype and pressure that anyone who goes to the [National] Assembly to vote, they get branded for life. But the brand you have to use these days is that of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq. You have to spoon-feed this to the people. Their minds are already fertile grounds for them to be fed this [narrative].”

The Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq narrative is the PTI’s euphemism for “treason”—both are historical figures who had betrayed their leaders to pave the way for their replacements.

The PTI, thus far, appears conflicted on how to counter the latest leaks. While some leaders have claimed that the audios are “doctored” or “fake,” others have claimed there is nothing wrong in what is being discussed, virtually accepting the veracity of the clips. The government, meanwhile, has organized multiple press conferences on the audio leaks, slamming Khan and the PTI, and has set up a committee to probe the culprits behind them.

Multiple audios—featuring both the ruling coalition and the PTI leadership—have leaked online in the past two weeks. Last month, a purported hacker released three audios of incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s conversations with aides and senior leaders of his Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). Shortly after, the first audio leak featuring Khan was released, followed in two days with the second. After a gap of a week, the third audio featuring Khan was released. The fourth one followed within hours.

Related Articles

Leave a Comment