PM announces forming high level investigation committee over audio leaks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday termed the audio leaks of PM House a matter of honour of the state of Pakistan and announced forming an investigation committee to unearth the facts.

PM Shehbaz Sharif addressed a press conference in Islamabad to discuss his tour during the United Nations General Assembly session.

He declared the issue of audio leaks very sensitive and said that he has taken notice of it as a big question mark about the high-level security breach posed over it.

The PM said it was not an issue of honour for the premier of Pakistan but a matter of dignity of the state as after the audio leaks who will come to meet him in the PM House from outside.

PM Shehbaz further said that visitors from foreign countries would also feel uncomfortable if the conversations were bugged in the official places and such breaches of cyber secrecy were related to matters of respect for 220 million Pakistanis.

He also stated that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz did not ask for any favour.

Shehbaz termed the audio leaks a very sensitive matter as it belongs to a security breach that is a huge question mark for the state.

During the presser, PM Shehbaz admitted the conversation of him with Dr Tauqeer, a bureaucrat in the audio leaks about importing the machinery of Maryam Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law Raheel from India.

He said Maryam’s son-in-law’s machinery of sugar mills was brought from India to Pakistan during Imran Khan’s last regime.

The PM raised a question to the media did anyone hear about diamonds in his audio? But, you have also heard the audio of the presentation of diamonds and jewels, Shehbaz added.
Anyhow, he said if he has committed any mistake, he will apologize to the nation.
He said they are being punished for uncommitted sins.
Criticizing his rival Imran Khan, the PM said unfortunately, Pakistan’s foreign policy and relations with friendly countries were damaged in the past.

He added that it is not right to think of yourself as a wrestling champion when you have nothing to play. He said he did not see a big lair like Imran Khan in his life.

He said the way former Prime Minister Imran Khan used to talk about various countries was not appropriate for a country desiring to have good relations.

The PM said by straining relations with various countries, the previous government had put Pakistan in isolation.

He also showed his anger over Imran Khan’s speech on Government College University (GCU) Lahore campus and said political use of the premises of the educational institute is an inexcusable crime.
He said Pakistan has no role in floods caused by climate change, adding that he had represented the flood victims at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and United Nations meetings.
He said in his address to the UN General Assembly session, he presented Pakistan's stance on Kashmir and Palestine.
He said his recent visits have provided an opportunity to bring Pakistan out of global isolation as Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto was fully supported in the visit to New York.

He said the coalition government was fully endeavouring to set the national economy right.“Rest assured, we will not run away and will put it on the right path,” he emphasized.

PM Shehbaz expressed hope that Ishaq Dar will make Pakistan’s economy better after becoming the new finance minister of the country in his regime. He said they are facing a war situation in the matter of the economy of Pakistan.

The prime minister said that the coalition government had focused on the economic situation and strived day and night to improve the economic conditions, therefore, they had no time for setting the political scores with Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan.

If he had spent half of the time of his government on strengthening the economy, there might be some improvement, he regretted without naming Imran Khan, the PM added.

A question was asked to the PM about Pak Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s efforts to hold a meeting between Imran Khan and PM Shehbaz for fixing a date for the next general elections in the upcoming days, but Shehbaz Sharif categorically denied and said nothing like this going on.

The prime minister responding to another query categorically said that the general elections would be held on time and ruled out any threats to the coalition government.

Shehbaz said during the SCO moot as well as his meeting with various leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi etc. he highlighted the losses caused by floods in Pakistan and the leaders besides expressing their solidarity also assured their cooperation to mitigate the suffering of flood-hit people.

The Prime Minister said that similarly during his address at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly as well as the sideline meeting, he highlighted that with an overall economic loss of over US $ 30 billion, the recent devasting floods had caused 1500 deaths, destroyed millions of houses and destructed infrastructure.

Shehbaz Sharif said that during his address to UN General Assembly, he forcefully presented Pakistan’s viewpoint and stance on the issues of Kashmir, Palestine and Islamophobia.

He said that the plight of Kashmiris in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), atrocities in IIOJK, August 5, 2019, illegal action of India in IIOJK and treatment meted out to Muslims in India were also highlighted in the address.

The Prime Minister said that during his visit to the United States to attend the UN General Assembly he was effectively assisted by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, and others.

About his visit to the UK, the Prime Minister said that besides representing Pakistan at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, he also attended the reception hosted by King Charles, who expressed sincere sympathies for the flood-hit people of Pakistan and talked fondly about the friendly ties.

Shehbaz Sharif said he also thanked the United Kingdom for the 15 million pounds of flood relief assistance.

He said that Pakistan despite having less than one per cent share in the global carbon emission was facing severe negative effects, which was also evident from the recent devastating floods in the country.

To a question, he maintained that the relevant law and rules would be followed for the appointment of the next army chief.  

Regarding resignations of the PTI legislators from the National Assembly, the prime minister said that they had never asked them to resign and hinted that they would welcome them if they return back to parliament.

About PTI’s condition of linking return to the assembly with holding of a probe over the alleged letter, the prime minister said that his meeting with Russian President Putin in Uzbekistan was evidence which did not require further probe. They both had agreed to further promote Pak-Russian bilateral ties and trade.