Alleged audio of ex-CJP, Tariq Rahim surfaces: Saqib Nisar offers advice over contempt action against govt

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/KARACHI/SWAT/LALAMUSA: Another audio clip purportedly featuring former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar and lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim has surfaced online amid hearing of high-profile cases related to elections at the Supreme Court, reported Geo News.

Both can allegedly be heard talking about the suo motu and contempt of court cases in a more than one-minute-long clip. The audio surfaced at a juncture when the judiciary and ruling coalition government are on the road to a collision over elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In the audio clip, former CJP Saqib Nisar can purportedly be heard asking lawyer Khawaja Tariq Rahim to study a seven-judge bench’s 2012 ruling in a suo motu case. He then asked him to refer this judgment to his lawyer who is handling the case but there is no hint about the case which is under discussion.

In reply, Khawaja Tariq Rahim replied he will study that judgment, adding he had found a way out while reading another ruling. The ex-CJP replied, “Yes, I have also studied it and that is the only way out we can use.” At one point, the former chief justice can purportedly be heard asking the lawyer to use the Munir Ahmad Khan case too, adding: “This is clearly a contempt of court case”.

Khawaja Tariq replied that they would file a contempt case. Nisar asked the lawyer to file a contempt of court case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, via Muneer Ahmed.

Here is the transcript of the latest audio leak:

Saqib Nisar: Khawaja Sahab, I wanted to tell you something.

Tariq Raheem: Yes.

Saqib Nisar: A judgment, please look into that. This is a seven-member judgment.

Tariq Raheem: Of whom? [Or which one?]

Saqib Nisar: Jee this is the suo motu (notice) number 4 of 2010, sir. This seven-member judgment, 2012, has been reported on page number 553 of the Supreme Court.

Tariq Raheem: Okay

Saqib Nisar: This is okay, right?

Tariq Raheem: I will look into it.

Saqib Nisar: Whoever is your lawyer, tell him to check it out. It states that if... Never mind, you’ll know when you will read it.

Tariq Raheem: I will read. I have seen the seven-member bench judgment. They have stated in it that until the act is not formulated... if you read it carefully, clause three has it...

Saqib Nisar: Yeah, yeah.

Tariq Raheem: They have given away in it as well. Just see that.

Saqib Nisar: Yes sir, I have seen that. That is the way out for you.

Tariq Raheem: That is the way out.

Saqib Nisar: That is the way out or else there is no case.

Tariq Raheem: Yes exactly. I will see that as well.

Saqib Nisar: And secondly Khawaja Sahab, if someone is ready from your side, then use Muneer Ahmed Khan’s [case] as well. It is a very clear case of contempt of court.

Tariq Raheem: We are working on it.

Saqib Nisar: Whatever happened in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, after that any...

Tariq Raheem: We are only waiting for the three-member bench’s verdict. It can take another half an hour. After that, we are filing another contempt of court case.

Saqib Nisar: Okay then. Thank you, sir, thank you.

After the audio leak, Saqib Nisar told the Geo News that the conversation with Raheem was private but he doesn’t know when and which case it was about. “It is against the right to privacy that a conversation between two people is shared like this,” he said.

The former top judge asked if he had “sold Kashmir or made a deal about Pakistan”.

“Audio leak is a stolen property. Stealing and selling that property is the work of cursed people,” he added.

Meanwhile, confirming his recent leaked audio former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar has said he has opened his law firm and should he not give advice if someone seeks it. “I have not done any wrong thing. What wrong have I done. Am I not a professional.”

Terming his audio leak as stolen goods, the former CJP said this audio has not caused any earthquake. “My right to privacy has been affected. I don’t accept it. It is