Ex-CJP Nisar questions credibility of alleged audio leak

Lahore: Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has spoken out against an audio leak circulating on social media, which allegedly features a conversation between himself and Khawaja Tariq Rahim, a legal adviser to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Nisar denied the authenticity of the recording, saying that the clip was a "theft" of his fundamental rights and a violation of his right to privacy. He also questioned the clip's authenticity.

This is the second audio clip related to the case to emerge in recent days. On Sunday, another clip purportedly featuring a conversation between two women, one of whom was said to be the mother-in-law of a top-ranking serving judge of the Supreme Court, also began circulating on social media.

In the audio clip, a voice purportedly belonging to Nisar can be heard referring to a 2010 judgment of the Supreme Court, and advising Rahim to use it in the current case. Rahim is also heard discussing the judgment and making references to other legal cases.

The clip emerged two days before the Supreme Court is due to resume hearing a case related to elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

 Earlier this month, the court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold general elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14, but the government rejected the order. After further legal wrangling, the court gave political parties a week to agree on a date for elections to the provincial and national assemblies, with the hearing set to resume on April 27.