Elahi 'managing court’, CJP should take notice: Sana

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday called on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to take notice of a recent audio leak purportedly involving former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi.

In the leaked audio, Elahi, a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, can be heard allegedly talking about managing courts.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the security czar called for a forensic test of the leaked audio. He also urged the top judge to bring the culprits to justice. “If the former Punjab CM is found guilty after the forensic, then the matter should be presented before the judicial committee,” he added. Sanaullah went on to say that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would be tasked to arrest Elahi, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PMLQ) leader, after the forensic audit of the audio conversation. “Prima facie, Pervaiz Elahi should be arrested after the registration of a case.” He added that the FIA had also been directed to consult the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The federal minister said it was not the first audio leak as such conversations had been leaked on multiple occasions but no action was taken, so that’s why the former Punjab chief executive “fearlessly tried to manage” the top court of the country.

On the occasion, Sanaullah also played the censored leaked audio clip in which the PMLQ leader can be purportedly heard discussing the cases being heard in the Supreme Court.

Referring to the audio leaks, the security czar said he censored the leaked audio clips as he did not want to reveal the identity of the superior court judge before forensic analysis. “How courageously he (Elahi) was managing the country’s top court. I will request the chief justice to take notice of this.”

The minister criticised the PTI’s chief for not appearing in the hearing despite the court orders. “It is obligatory for everyone to show respect and dignity for the courts, but Imran, despite repeated summons, is not appearing before the court and violating the law,” he added. At the same time, he appealed to the CJP to take notice of the former prime minister’s remarks for allegedly mocking the judiciary. Responding to a question, the interior minister said that he would discuss the matter with the government to immediately arrest the PTI chief.

Meanwhile, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, while giving a statement regarding the audio leak, has said that the conversation with a lawyer for the case of Mohammad Khan Bhatti has been taped and distorted, there is nothing wrong said in the audio.

Muhammad Khan Bhatti has been missing for the past ten days, his wife has appealed to the Supreme Court, and finally that case is also to come forward. If a person approaches the courts through his lawyers for justice, then they want to prove him guilty. He said that the leadership of PMLN is running a systematic campaign against the judiciary, we have always respected the judiciary and the judiciary is the center of people’s hopes.

Elahi said that the government is blinded by revenge and wants to imprison all opponents on false charges. He said that Rana Sanaullah, the mastermind of the Model Town tragedy, got up in a panic and started speaking, with the help of Allah Almighty all the misdeeds of Rana Sanaullah are coming forward one by one.

President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Abid S Zuberi on Thursday termed as doctored the latest audio leaks purportedly involving former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi and an apex court judge.

In a statement issued here he said that an audio is circulating on the social media in which he is reported to be conversing with former Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi which implies that he is asking him to influence some proceedings in the Supreme Court.

“I have gone through the audio recording and I categorically state that this audio is doctored. My office is doing a case in the Sindh High Court of a ‘missing person’, one Mr. Muhammad Khan Bhatti who was a close aide of Elahi and had conversation in this regard.

He said that this case has nothing to do with any pending proceedings in the Supreme Court. Ghulam Mehmood Dogar’s case, adding that he has been conducting as a lawyer since 28.11.2022, wherein interim orders are operating.

It is obvious that some unscrupulous elements are behind the circulation of this doctored audio so as to damage my credibility to lead the Bar’s struggle for the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, democracy and constitutionalism, he added.

This audio, he said, also amounts to an attack on the independence of judiciary. “Let all and sundry know and understand that such mischievous tactics will not deter me from continuing the Bar’s struggle,” Zuberi said.

Meanwhile, Haroon-ur-Rashid, Vice-Chairman and Hassan Raza Pasha, Chairman Executive Committee, Pakistan Bar Council Hassan Raza Pasha have also shown their serious concerns with regard to the image of the superior Judiciary and expressed that conduct and demeanor of judges of superior judiciary.

In a statement issued here they expressed that honourable judges should avoid to comment whereby any constitutional office is ridiculed and there should not be any impression that judges have presumed the role of prosecutor, petitioner or the defendant.

They also demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan, who is also head of Supreme Judicial Council, conduct a thorough scrutiny and investigation with regard to audio that is viral on social media regarding fixation of case before a particular bench or a judge of the Supreme Court.

They said that if it is found genuine then action should be taken according to Article 209 of the Constitution.