PM Shehbaz purportedly discusses appointment of SAPMs in latest audio leak

The audio leaks saga continued on Thursday as another recording, containing a purported conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and an unknown person surfaced. In the clip, the voice believed to be PM Shehbaz, is heard talking about the appointment of special assistants.

The clip begins with the unknown person allegedly telling the premier that Ayaz Sadiq wants the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to get a share in the appointment of special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs).

In response, the voice purported to be PM Shehbaz stated that PPP Co-Chairman Bilawal had spoken to him about it.

“We have to appoint Zafar Mehmood and Jahanzaib. I will tell you a final number today,” the unknown voice allegedly tells PM Shehbaz.

Leaked audio clips purportedly reveal PM Shehbaz's conversations with aides, officials

The voice believed to be the premier asks for the document and tells the unknown person that “it's not just peoples party but others as well.”

“Then JUI and MQM will also ask for it. MQM is naming Malik Ahmed Ali, saying that he had a critical role in all this deal,” the unknown voice purportedly tells PM Shehbaz. “Sir, he is from Karachi.”

In September, a number of leaked audio recordings purportedly of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's discussions with his aides and other officials about different government and party matters were leaked.

Among other issues, the incident has raised questions about the security of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The first set of recordings allegedly involved a discussion between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and one of his advisers. In the over two-minute-long audio clip, a voice said to be that of PM Shehbaz, could be heard saying that Maryam Nawaz had asked him to facilitate her son-in-law with the import of machinery from India.

Another clip purportedly involves a conversation between PML-N Vice President Maryam and the premier about Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, who has faced criticism from his party leadership, over tough economic decisions in an effort to save Pakistan from default.

The voice said to be Maryam’s, in the alleged clip said: “He doesn’t take responsibility […] says strange things on TV which people make fun of him for […] he doesn’t know what he is doing,”

“He clearly cut corners,” the voice said to be PM Shehbaz can be heard as saying.