Cipher Audio Leaks
\n LAHORE
\nThe Lahore High Court (LHC) has suspended the Federal Investigation Agency\u2019s (FIA) summons to PTI chief Imran Khan in \u2018cipher audio leak\u2019 scam and sought replies from federal government and other respondents by December 19.
\nLHC judge Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural issued the suspension order in Imran\u2019s petition challenging the FIA\u2019s inquiry into the audio leaks related to the US cipher and its notice issued to him for recording his statement by December 6 in the LHC.
\nThe court was requested to direct the quarters concerned to halt inquiry and declare its notices \u201cillegal and unlawful\u201d.
\nIn first phase of the proceeding, the arguments revolved around whether or not the LHC has the jurisdiction to hear this matter. It is worth mentioning that LHC\u2019s Registrar Office had raised objection about jurisdiction.
\nResponding to which, the PTI chief\u2019s counsel barrister Salman Safdar argued that LHC has the jurisdiction to hear this matter and cited three cases including the one related to model Ayyan Ali. Justice Ghural questioned whether the inquiry has been conducted to probe as to how the audios were leaked. \u201cWhether or not those persons had been investigated who were deputed there and had complete control,\u201d Justice Ghural further asked.
\nThe petitioner\u2019s counsel replied that they did not know how the audios leaked. Justice Ghural remarked but the inquiry should be conducted into it to ascertain who is responsible for audio leaks. The counsel told the court that the FIA started \u201cirrelevant inquiry\u201d relying upon the material available on internet.
\nJustice Ghural observed that the forensic of the audio should have been conducted first to establish its credibility.
\nThe counsel expressing his concern implored the court that they have doubts that a first information report (FIR) could be registered against his client, hence the FIA notice should be suspended.
\nThe court inquired whether the FIA could issue notice in the audio leaks probe. To which, the counsel replied in the negative while the lawyer representing the federal government argued that the FIA has the authority can issue the notice.
\nImran\u2019s counsel replied that they did not know how the audio leaked and added that the FIA initiated its inquiry relying upon the material available on internet without conducting forensic of the leaked audios to establish their authenticity.
\nHe claimed that the federal government was using FIA for vested interests and implored the court that inquiry is based on \u201cmala fide intention with ulterior motives\u201d. \u201cMy client is being subject of political victimisation merely to tarnish his image,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cipher Audio Leaks LAHORE The Lahore High Court (LHC) has suspended the Federal Investigation Agency\u2019s (FIA) summons to PTI chief Imran Khan in \u2018cipher audio leak\u2019 scam and sought replies from federal government and other respondents by December 19. LHC judge Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural issued the suspension order in Imran\u2019s petition challenging the FIA\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":263438,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1782,2833,1669],"class_list":{"0":"post-299664","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-fia","9":"tag-imran-khan","10":"tag-lhc"},"yoast_head":"\n