'Sazish Khan': Maryam Nawaz terms PTI chairman after alleged audio leak on horse-trading

LONDON: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Friday referred to PTI Chairman Imran Khan as "Sazish Khan" and termed him as the “biggest polytheist” involved in conspiracies.

The PML-N leader’s comments came after Khan’s alleged third audio leak surfaced on the internet earlier today in which he was allegedly heard talking about buying members, making him a subject of discussions regarding his involvement in horse-trading.

“I don’t refer to Imran Khan as fitna over nothing. Everything about him generates conspiracy. His real name should be Sazish Khan,” Maryam said, while speaking to Geo News.

Criticising Khan for being involved in horse-trading yet speaking against it, Maryam said: “He kept telling people that those involved in horse-trading are bad and kept alleging people for doing so, all while he was selling and buying members behind closed doors.”

“He would tell people that anyone who does horse-trading is a polytheist. If this is polytheism then Khan sahib himself is the biggest polytheist,” she remarked.

Maryam alleged that the PTI chief has always been conspiring, but was now "caught".

“He has always been [conspiring], but his scheme failed for the first time,” she said.

“He fell to the ground after his crutches detached,” she said, adding that Khan always talks about his narrative and today the nation knows what he actually meant.

“His scheming face is in front of the world. The audio leaks have exposed his narrative,” she said, emphasising that Khan’s statements about his narrative were "all lies".

The PML-N vice president slammed the former premier for telling people not to vote for turncoats, but in the audio leak, he is heard discussing the buying and selling of lawmakers.

Maryam said that with regards to horse-trading in the audio leak Khan insists on doing whatever is possible.

She added that the PTI chief never provided a single piece of evidence regarding horse-trading allegations against the-then Opposition.

Speaking about PTI supporters, Maryam said that she has "sympathies with them", adding that while Khan conveniently asked his party leaders to brand people as "Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq", he didn't even have the courage to name those he was referring to.

Maryam further said that Khan, in a bid to come back to power, was trying to strike a deal.

"This person, who was found guilty of bringing money to the country through foreign sources, should be termed a foreign-funded fitna", Maryam said.

Questioning the treatment meted out to PML-N in the past, Maryam said: “Who doesn’t know about those behind his launch against Nawaz Sharif in 2011? Who doesn’t know who was behind the 2014 sit-in? How Nawaz Sharif’s victorious members were ousted in 2018?”

She also claimed that Khan’s party won the Senate chairman’s election through a "conspiracy" and pointed at the use of microphones and cameras when senators went to cast their votes to elect the chairman and deputy chairman of the upper house.

“How members were picked up and locked in containers? They were [threatened] via phone calls,” Maryam said.

Playing 'Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq' card

Earlier this evening, alleged fourth audio of Khan was leaked online in which he was purportedly heard talking to ex-human rights minister Shireen Mazari, and former planning minister Asad Umar.

Khan was allegedly heard asking his party's leaders to "brand" people as Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq ahead of the no-confidence motion.

In the audio tape — the fourth tape in total and the third related to the cypher — the PTI chairman can be allegedly heard speaking about the US cypher and planning for the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly on Sunday. However, it is unclear whether the conversation took place ahead of April 3 or 11.

"Feed Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq narrative to people. The [people] going to the assembly for voting should be branded as Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq", Khan could allegedly be heard saying in the leaked audio tape.

This was the second audio leak in a day. The one that came to the fore earlier, Khan was heard speaking alone, allegedly discussing horse-trading with an aide.

The third audio mentioned a 48-hour time period, which matches with the Supreme Court order that was issued on April 7. The top court had directed the National Assembly speaker to hold a vote on the motion no later than April 9.

The government has set up a committee to probe the leaked audio tapes — related to the ruling officials and the PTI — after back-to-back soundbites surfaced within a month.

Several audios have been leaked online in a span of eight days — three of the incumbent government and two of PTI. Following the back-to-back leaks, the National Security Council (NSC) approved the formation of a high-level committee under the leadership of Sanauallah to investigate the matter of the audio leaks.