FIA investigates alleged audio leaks of Pervaiz Elahi

ISLAMABAD, Feb 17 (SABAH):  The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a probe into the latest alleged ‘audio leaks’ of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and his lawyer after officially receiving a nod by the Interior Ministry

The development came a day after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan directed the FIA to conduct a forensic analysis of the ‘leaked’ audio recordings—which surfaced on social media on Thursday—in which Elahi could be purportedly heard saying he wanted cases to be fixed before a sitting judge of the apex court.

Elahi, however, has responded by saying that the wrong impression was being given to his conversation with a lawyer about a corruption case involving his former principal secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti.

According to the media reports, leaked audio clips will be sent to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for analysis and its report will be submitted to the Interior Ministry. A case will be registered against the former chief minister if forensic report confirms the authenticity of the leaked recordings.

Two separate audio clips were shared on social media earlier this week.

In the first audio clip, a man believed to be Elahi can be heard telling ‘Joja sahab’ that the judge should be appointed to hear the “Muhammad Khan case”. Joja responds by saying he would go to Islamabad the same day. “He was saying today that they will send [the matter] to Islamabad. We will attempt [our efforts] in the process, which starts after that,” the man identifying himself as Joja can be heard saying. Elahi allegedly tells Joja to have it done. The former Punjab chief minister purportedly adds that the judge was “very audacious” to which Joja agrees.

In the second audio clip, Elahi allegedly tells another man that a specific case had to be fixed for hearing before the apex court judge.