ISLAMABAD
\nLaw Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Thursday said that state institutions have taken steps to secure the Prime Minister\u2019s Office (PMO) and changed some standard operating procedures (SOPs) after multiple audio leaks featuring the incumbent prime minister surfaced on social media.
\nOn Saturday, a recording of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif started doing rounds where he was discussing with an unidentified official the possibility of facilitating the import of Indian machinery for a power project that was a concern of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif\u2019s son-in-law, Raheel.
\nOn Sunday, further recordings surfaced, which were shared on social media by several PTI leaders, concerning former finance minister Miftah Ismail and the resignations of PTI lawmakers from the National Assembly. A day ago, another leak surfaced but this time, former prime minister Imran Khan and his much-touted \u2018threat cypher\u2019 were the subject of the leaked clip.
\nSubsequently, in a meeting on Wednesday, the National Security Committee decided to probe the audio leaks and formed a high-level forum for this purpose, which will be led by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
\nElaborating on security measures taken in wake of the leaks at a press conference today, the law minister said: \u201cOur state institutions have carried out an exercise to secure the PMO, ensure (security).
\n\u201cSome SOPs have been changed which I think is a government responsibility as oftentimes many sensitive matters are discussed in such places and there should be an environment where you are 100 per cent satisfied that you\u2019re making national decisions in a secure environment,\u201d he told reporters.
\nTarar said that talks regarding a \u201ccleansing\u201d process were underway, elaborating that the government was mulling on steps that should be taken in the future.
\nHe explained that basic SOPs were already in place for \u201csensitive buildings\u201d, adding that orders have further been given to make security measures effective and prevent any such breaches in the future.
\n\u201cIt will be an effort to introduce a culture and environment, not just in the PMO, but in all departments where you can ensure that sensitive information will not be leaked.\u201d
\nThe law minister rubbished reports of the prime minister considering staying somewhere else other than the PMO and called the rumours \u201cbaseless\u201d.
\nTarar also castigated the PTI chief over yesterday\u2019s audio leak.
\n\u201cThe painful thing is, when you\u2019re in high constitutional offices, more than the political interest, your oath makes you bound to take decisions in the greater national interest,\u201d he said.
\nThe law minister said that the government will want to further investigate the matter and then decide on exercising any legal or constitutional actions so \u201cin the future, no person in any office can impose their own opinion on matters of national security and sensitive issues to expose matters such that it harms the state\u201d.
\nHe said Imran had played a \u201cdangerous game\u201d with the country, adding that then principal secretary Azam Khan should have realised he was a state servant and not advanced a political party\u2019s agenda.
\n\u201cIt would\u2019ve been much better if he made Imran understand that this is not an issue that can be played with, instead he should have shut it down and told the Foreign Office to do whatever appropriate action since it is its domain,\u201d Tarar added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Thursday said that state institutions have taken steps to secure the Prime Minister\u2019s Office (PMO) and changed some standard operating procedures (SOPs) after multiple audio leaks featuring the incumbent prime minister surfaced on social media. On Saturday, a recording of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif started doing rounds where […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-286447","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n