PM’s 100 hours-long conversation up for grabs on dark web: Fawad

Ex-SAPM Shahzad Akbar says audio clips were leaked to influence government’s decision on important appointment

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PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that 100 hours-long conversations of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have been put up for sale on the dark web for $3.5 million and criticised security agencies for overlooking the “sensitive” matter of audio leaks.

Expressing shock over purported leaked audio clips of government officials, Fawad said, “Even the office of the prime minister of the nuclear-armed country is not safe.”

Commenting on one of the leaked audio clips featuring a conversation between the premier and a government official, Fawad said the conversation showed that decisions were being made in London.

“[In the audio clip] Maryam Nawaz is demanding Shahbaz Sharif to clear the way for her son-in-law's machinery import from India,” he remarked.

Separately in a tweet, Fawad criticised the country’s security agencies, saying: “They would have cared about this sensitive matter if they had got time from political matters.”

سو گھنٹے سے زیادہ کی وزیر اعظم کے دفتر کی گفتگو ویب سائٹ پر اگست-ستمبر سے برائے فروخت ہے ہماری ایجنسیز کو سیاسی ٹاسک سے فرصت ملتی تو وہ حساس معاملات پر نظر ڈالتے، سوال یہ ہے اتنے بڑے واقعہ پر حکومت کو سانپ کیوں سونگھ گیا ہے؟ فون ہر گیمز کھیلنے سے فرصت مل جائے تو مؤقف بھی دے دیں

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 25, 2022

He also expressed surprise over the silence of the government officials on the matter.

Another PTI leader Mirza Shahzad Akbar said the audio leak scandal was not a hacking but definitely an inside job, aimed at influencing the government’s decision-making ahead of the crucial appointment.

It is definitely an insider job.
Timing is important as it’s just before crucial appointment, target seems clearly to influence the decision, which way though only time will tell!
It’s also targeting/undermining IB capacity as PMO security n sweeps domain of IB 2/4

— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) September 25, 2022

“First it’s not a hack into the system [and] hacker [and] dark web seems cover story, our systems are based on analogue and not digital, in fact, that’s one way of Pak cyber security,” he said while sharing his sources-based information on the matter.

Akbar, who served as PM’s aide on accountability during last PTI’s tenure, added that timing of the leak was important “as it’s just before crucial appointment, target seems clearly to influence the decision, which way though only time will tell!”.

It is definitely an insider job.
Timing is important as it’s just before crucial appointment, target seems clearly to influence the decision, which way though only time will tell!
It’s also targeting/undermining IB capacity as PMO security n sweeps domain of IB 2/4

— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) September 25, 2022

Likewise, former human rights minister Shireen Mazari also raised questions about the audio leak.

“Who ordered bugging of PMO & PM House which allowed hacking & leaks? Which Intel agency carried out this bugging & who was responsible for abetting leaks?”

Who ordered bugging of PMO & PM House which allowed hacking & leaks? Which Intel agency carried out this bugging & who was responsible for abetting leaks? These leaks were public since Aug & early Sept. Were r Intel orgs, civil & mly sleeping that they pic.twitter.com/nQFUTEMjJp

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 25, 2022

In another tweet, Shireen said the purported audio leaks clearly revealed that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam ‘dictated decisions to the imported government’.

“This is totally illegal. Cabinet violating its official secrets act plus PM/Min oath of office. Anarchy in govt. SC [Supreme Court suo moto needed,” she added.

The #AudioLeaks clearly reveal decision making in Imported govt is dictated to & made by convict absconder NS & his convict-on-bail daughter Maryam.This is totally illegal. Cabinet violating its official secrets act plus PM/Min oath of office. Anarchy in govt. SC suo moto needed.

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 25, 2022