Pakistan PM calls meeting of National Security Committee over audio leaks

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday to discuss the actions against the audio leaks that surfaced on social media a day earlier.

According to ARY News, sources said that the NSC session will be held at 3pm on Wednesday and there would be a briefing regarding the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) audio leaks.

The meeting will be attended by services chief, intelligence officials and civilian leadership, it added.

The federal government has decided to constitute a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to inquire into the audio leaks from the Prime Minister's House. The team will also include officials of secret agencies.

Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of audio leaks involving the prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, and that an inquiry has been initiated.

The probe body will inquire about whether the data has been hacked or stolen and sold. The investigation team will also check whether the PM's House was bugged with the devices, or whether it is a mobile recording, reported ARY News.

The probe will be authorised to include the staff of the PM House in the investigation. It will also inquire into which officers were present in the Prime Minister's House at the time of the recording, the publication added.

On Sunday, several audio clips of the leaders of the ruling government surfaced on social media. The first clip purportedly features a conversation between PML-N Vice President Maryam and PM Shehbaz about the country's finance minister Miftah Ismail, who has reportedly faced criticism from within the party for taking tough economic measures, according to Dawn.

The PML-N vice president has publicly stated that she does not agree with the decision to hike petrol and electricity prices, saying she did not own such decisions, whether her party was in government or not.

However, the minister said that there is nothing to be embarrassed about after the audio leaks, reported ARY News.

The second clip allegedly features a conversation between the premier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq about the resignations of PTI lawmakers from the lower house of parliament.

The third clip purportedly features a conversation between Maryam and PM Shehbaz regarding the return of Pakistan's former military leader Pervez Musharraf.

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