SCBA president terms ‘new audio leaks involving Elahi, SC’ doctored

PBC demands CJP to probe matter of audio leaks regarding fixation of case before a particular bench

Abid Zuberi, the president of Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBA), on Thursday termed the latest audio leaks purportedly involving former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi and an apex court judge as doctored.

“An audio is circulating on the social media in which I am reported to be conversing with former Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi which implies that he is asking me to influence some proceedings in the Supreme Court. I have gone through the audio recording and I categorically state that this audio is doctored,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

His clarification comes soon after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that he has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to proceed against Elahi over latest audio leaks purportedly involving an apex court judge and the SCBAP president.

“How courageously he [Pervaiz Elahi] was managing the country’s top court… I will request the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of this,” he remarked at a press conference in Islamabad during which he also played the leaked audio clips without revealing the identity of the apex court judge.

Referring to the leaked audio clip, Zuberi said he had conversation with Elahi regarding a case of his former principal secretary.

“My office is doing a case in the Sindh High Court of a ‘missing person’, one Mr Muhammad Khan Bhatti who was a close aide of Mr Elahi and had conversation in this regard. This case has nothing to do with any pending proceedings in the Supreme Court,” he added.

The SCBA chief said he had been conducting Ghulam Mehmood Dogar`s case as a lawyer since November 28, 2022, “wherein interim orders are operating. It is obvious that some unscrupulous elements are behind the circulation of this doctored audio so as to damage my credibility to lead the Bar’s struggle for the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, democracy and constitutionalism”.

Also read: FIA directed to proceed against Elahi over ‘new audio leaks involving SC judge’

“This audio also amounts to an attack on the independence of judiciary,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) apex regularity body of lawyer has also demanded investigation into the audio leaks that have gone viral on social media regarding fixation of a case before a particular bench or a judge of the Supreme Court.

In a statement, PBC Vice Chairman Haroonur Rashid and PBC Executive Committee Vice Chairman Hassan Raza Pasha have shown their serious concerns with regard to the image of the superior Judiciary and expressed that conduct and demeanour of honourable judges of superior Judiciary must be seen as neutral and impartial and there should not be any impression that they are favouring or are spokesman of any political party and they should avoid with respect to remarks upon any political matter.

“In event of such impression will shake the confidence of public at large as well as lawyers’ community and will damage image of judiciary as well.”

They expressed that the judges should avoid comments whereby any constitutional office is ridiculed and there should not be any impression that the honourable judges have presumed the role of prosecutor, petitioner or the defendant.

"They also demanded from Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan who is head of Supreme Judicial Council as well that there should be a thorough scrutiny and investigation with regard to audio viral on social media regarding fixation of case before a particular bench or a Hon’ble Judge of the Supreme Court and if after scrutiny it is found that audio is fake then action should be taken about responsible[s] who made it viral and prepared.

“However, if it is found genuine then action should be taken according to Article 209 of the Constitution."