File photo of an earlier meeting of the National Security Committee. Courtesy PID
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday approved the formation of a high-level committee, headed by Interior Minister Rana Sanauallah, to investigate the leaks of conversations allegedly recorded at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Over the past week, four audio clips—three featuring the incumbent prime minister and one former prime minister Imran Khan—of conversations allegedly recorded at the Prime Minister’s Office have surfaced, raising significant questions over a national security breach.
“The [National Security Committee] meeting approved the formation of a high-powered committee to investigate the issue of audio leaks,” read a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office after a meeting of the body, attended by key ministers, services chiefs and top spy agencies’ officials.
It said the NSC had been briefed about an ongoing probe into the leaked audios, adding that senior officials of intelligence agencies had given presentations on the security arrangements at Prime Minister’s House and other sensitive installations, with a focus on existing cybersecurity measures. “Certain aspects related to the security of the Prime Minister’s House were pointed out and foolproof arrangements were made to remedy them,” it said, without giving any details on what these measures entailed. “The meeting was informed that emergency measures are being taken to ensure the security of the Prime Minister’s House and other important places, buildings and ministries in order to avoid any such situation in the future,” it added.
According to the statement, the law ministry has been asked to prepare a ‘Legal Framework’ related to cybersecurity. It said the meeting’s participants had also decided to review the security of government communications to ensure they could not be similarly leaked.
Forensic audit
Earlier, addressing a press conference after a meeting of the federal cabinet, the interior minister said the government would conduct a forensic audit of the leaked audios of both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PTI Chairman Imran Khan. He said if Khan’s audio were proven to be real, then he should be exposed before the nation. “Khan has created a narrative of an American conspiracy to mislead the nation and divide it,” he said, emphasizing that Khan had caused “irreparable damage to Pakistan and destroyed the country’s economy and political culture.”
Referring to Khan’s audio recording, he said an intent to change the minutes of government meetings could also be heard. “This ‘player’ is playing with the nation and is working on a specific agenda,” he claimed, vowing to “expose” the political narrative of the PTI chief.