ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday asked the government to inform about the elements responsible for recording the audio and a special parliamentary body of former Chief Justice (CJP) Saqib Nisar’s son. Prevented from taking action.
Justice Babar Sattar made these remarks while hearing a petition filed by former Chief Justice Nisar’s son Najam Saqib against the special committee formed by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf to investigate the audio clips allegedly containing his voice. given during
Besides, Justice Sattar suspended the summons notice issued by the special committee to Najam and removed the objections of the Registrar’s Office on the application.
The court also issued a notice to the federal government asking it to inform the court about the origin of the audios by June 19.
“Who records these audios?” Justice Sattar while seeking a reply from the federal government inquired under what authority the special committee took notice.
Advocate Latif Khosa, on behalf of the petitioner, told the court that the special committee’s rules would be the same as those for the general committee.
The judge replied that the concerned ministry would have to be made a party to the case.
Khosa said that there is no ministry concerned in this matter, but we will do it.
He added: “We only challenged that the Speaker and the Assembly do not have the power to look into private matters. The petition does not challenge the matter pending in the Supreme Court.
He said that the audio leak is an alleged conversation between two private individuals which Parliament has no right to see.
The judge further inquired: “You have also been the governor. Tell me who records this audio?
Najam’s lawyer replied that the parties should reply first and then everything will be clear.
Petition
The petition filed by Najam on Tuesday has requested the IHC to suspend the proceedings of the committee and prevent it from taking any punitive action. He claimed that the alleged audio violated his privacy and was illegal surveillance. He requested the court to declare that recording the private conversation of a private person is a violation of fundamental human rights.
He further said that the committee formed by the Speaker of the National Assembly to investigate the audios was illegal.
The petition claimed that the summons issued by the secretary of the committee without a meeting of the committee – asking Najam, his father and two others to appear in person – were also illegal.
However, the IHC registrar’s office had objected to the plea, saying the matter was already pending in the Supreme Court. The registrar also said that two different types of applications cannot be made in one application. It said that on the one hand the petitioner had challenged the notification of the committee and on the other hand had also requested the court to declare the audio recording as illegal.
Special Committee
National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf on May 3 set up a special committee to investigate Najam’s audio, in which he can be heard selling a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket to a Punjab Provincial Assembly candidate. Yes, it is claimed that his father worked hard to get the ticket approved — according to an assembly notification.
Muhammad Aslam Bhutani was appointed as the chairman of the committee which includes Shahida Akhtar Ali, Muhammad Abu Bakr, Muhammad Burjees Tahir, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Syed Hussain Tariq, Naz Baloch and Khalid Hussain Magsi.
Audio transcript
Here is the transcript of the alleged audio call between Najam Saqib and Abuzar Chadhar.
Abuzar Chadhar: Sir…Sir, peace be upon you.
Najam Saqib: Yes.
Abuzar Chadhar: Your hard work has paid off.
Najam Saqib: I have received the information.
Abuzar Chadhar: Okay sir.
Najam Saqib: Now tell me what needs to be done now?
Abuzar Chadhar: We are getting the tickets printed. These should be printed. We cannot delay this matter as we are short of time.
Najam Saqib: You have only come to meet Baba to thank him. nothing else.
Abuzar Chadhar: Yes, of course, what are you saying?
Najam Saqib: Will be back by eleven o’clock. You just came to hug him. He has worked very hard.
Abuzar Chadhar: A lot. I was thinking whether to go to uncle (Saqib Nisar) first or come after submitting the ticket.
Najam Saqib: As you wish, but you must meet Baba today.
Abuzar Chadhar: Yes, obviously, [I] have to come straight to him [Saqib Nisar].
Najam Saqib: Okay then.
Abuzar Chadhar: The time will end at 12 noon.
Najam Saqib: Get the ticket printed, send the photo and then come.
Abuzar Chadhar: Okay.
Following is the transcript of the alleged audio call between Najam Saqib and Mian Uzair.
Najam Saqib: Check WhatsApp.
Mian Uzair: Yes, did Abu Dharr send it to you?
Najam Saqib: Yaar (my friend) I am also a lawyer.
Mian Uzair: No, did Abu Dharr send it to you or did you receive it directly?
Najam Saqib: I can receive it directly. It is not necessary that Abu Dhar sends everything.
Mian Uzair: You want me to ignore it?
Najam Saqib: Do it if you want, but I got it from him.
Mian Uzair: Okay.
Najam Saqib: So who did the work… No one else did it.
Mian Uzair: Well, that’s fine.
Najam Saqib: What is the scene now?
Mian Uzair: I’ll talk, okay?
Najam Saqib: What do you mean you will discuss it? Done and decided.
Mian Uzair: I will call and ask them to deliver the goods to me.
Najam Saqib: Don’t just deliver the goods. Don’t take less than 120 or I will break your legs.
Mian Uzair: Yaar (yaar) you are saying such things again…. on the phone.
Najam Saqib: Uzair, I have no problem with that. Do not take less than 120 from this.
Mian Uzair: Okay.
Najam Saqib: I am telling you that I am not kidding. This is a big deal, Uzair.
Mian Uzair: Brother, I have said my word. I’m not…
Najam Saqib: You become a… to me… or I won’t even talk to you.
Mian Uzair: Ok then I will.
Najam Saqib: Otherwise I will deal with him directly. What else can I do?
Mian Uzair: Say directly, better.
Najam Saqib: They are coming to the office after submitting the ticket. Come too if you want.
Mian Uzair: Okay.
