Tarin quizzed by FIA on leaked audio clip

The FIA Cybercrime Wing Islamabad has formally launched an inquiry against PTI leader and former finance minister Shaukat Tarin over the leaked audio clip of purported telephonic conversation between him and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) finance minister Taimur Jhagra.

Last month, two audio clips surfaced wherein a man purportedly the former finance minister could be heard guiding K-P and Punjab’s finance ministers to tell the federal government and the IMF that they would not be able to commit to a provincial budget surplus as the two provinces were hit hard by floods.

Tarin was earlier summoned on September 21 on the complaint of citizen Rashid Mahmood but the PTI leader initially denied receiving a notice from the FIA.

However, the cybercrime cell again issued a notice for September 22 and got the same received by the Tarin’s staff.

The PTI leader reached the cybercrime cell after his office hours. FIA Cybercrime Deputy Director Muhammad Ayaz and inquiry officer Muneeb Zafar questioned the PTI leader about the purported phone call.

Sources said Tarin could not give satisfactory reply to the team and adopted the stance that he would submit his response after consulting his lawyer. Later, the FIA cybercrime team handed over 15-20 questions to the PTI leader.

The FIA authorities maintained that after receiving answers to the questions Tarin would again be called for inquiry.