ISLAMABAD: A new audiotape, allegedly of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz and her party’s former information minister Pervez Rashid, Tuesday, went viral in which the duo purportedly exchanged views about the “bias” and “neutrality” of some journalists of a private television talk show.

Though there was no immediate response from the two PML-N leaders about the veracity of the audiotape, private media channels were running comments by Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill criticising the duo for allegedly controlling the media in their party’s tenure.

In the audiotape, which has not been independently verified, Pervez Rashid can allegedly be heard referring to a talk show of a private TV channel and sharing his views purportedly with Maryam Nawaz about the journalists’ “bias”.

Purportedly, Maryam could also be heard instructing Rashid to approach management of the private TV channel and discuss with them the “bias” of the journalists mentioned in the audiotape towards the PML-N’s then government.

Maryam could also be heard allegedly talking about delivering “boxes” to some journalists as gifts, for speaking in favour of the PML-N.

No official statement by the PML-N was issued till filing of this report either to confirm or refute the audiotape.

Meanwhile, the PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif tweeted an old alleged leaked audiotape of the former chief justice Saqib Nisar later in the day.

“Finally! “Mr Clean” has been exposed as a corrupt and dishonest political con-man. And the other dishonourable man who declared him ‘Sadiq & Amin’ to engineer my ouster has already been heard admitting his crime. Divine justice is done, only the legal one remains to be seen & done!” Nawaz Sharif tweeted, apparently in reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s scrutiny committee’s report on the PTI’s foreign funding case.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022