On Wednesday, the National Security Committee (NSC) gave its approval for the formation of a high-level committee to look into the recently released audio leaks of candid conversations between important members of the coalition government. The NSC also gave the Ministry of Law the go-ahead to create a “legal framework” for cyber security.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over the NSC meeting, which is the highest venue for coordination on security issues. Senior officers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the ministers of defence, energy, information and broadcasting, interior, finance, human rights, planning, development, and special initiatives all attended.
The high-level committee will be led by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The leaders of the intelligence agencies briefed the attendees in-depth on the security of the PM’s home and other key locations at today’s meeting.
The group was informed that an investigation into the matter of the audios spreading on social media is being done. The Prime Minister’s House’s security was covered in detail, along with the foolproof measures put in place to address it.
In order to “prevent such similar situation in the future,” the statement states that meeting attendees were warned that urgent measures were being taken to ensure the security of the Prime Minister’s House and other significant locations, buildings, and ministries.
According to the report, the NSC instructed the Law Ministry to create a “legal framework” for cyber security following consultation.
The participants also agreed to assess the safety, security, and privacy of government communications while taking into account the rapidly evolving state of cyberspace and modern technology to “guarantee security and security systems are not compromised.”
The development follows the weekend’s disclosure of audio recordings of conversations between important government figures—including Prime Minister Shehbaz, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, and some federal cabinet members—discussing governance issues in private. This raised concerns about the security of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The potential of allowing the import of Indian machinery for a power project was discussed between PM Shehbaz and an unnamed official in an audio that surfaced on Saturday.
Several PTI leaders posted further recordings on Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and PTI legislators’ resignations from the National Assembly on social media on Sunday.
In one recording, the PML-N vice president Maryam and the premier are said to be speaking about Miftah. In the clip, a voice believed to be Maryam’s claims that the premier “doesn’t know what he is doing” and hopes for the return of PML-N stalwart Ishaq Dar.
The prime minister, defence minister Khawaja Asif, attorney general Azam Nazeer Tarar, interior minister Rana Sanaullah, and Ayaz Sadiq are all said to have discussed the resignations of PTI legislators from the National Assembly in a second video recording.
A third video purports to show Maryam Nawaz and PM Shehbaz discussing retired Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s comeback as former army head.
The discovery of audio leaks was described by PM Shehbaz as a “very severe lapse” on Tuesday, and he declared that a high-level committee will be formed to look into the situation.
In the meantime, earlier today, a video tape began making the rounds on social media showing what is thought to be Imran speaking with his former principal secretary, Azam Khan, discussing a code that the PTI leader has long used as proof of a “foreign conspiracy” to remove him from the top position.
We merely have to play on this, Imran is heard saying in the audio footage. We’re not required to mention [any country]. We merely need to pretend that this date was already selected.
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