Just days after the leaked audio of a phone call between the current top Supreme Court judge’s mother-in-law and lawyer Khawaja Tariq Raheem’s wife sparked a political storm in the country, another alleged audio leak featuring former chief justice Saqib Nisar and lawyer Khawaja Tariq Raheem has come to light.
In the most recent alleged audio leak, the former chief justice is heard discussing the ruling of a seven-member bench regarding a “suo motu” notice Raheem received from the supreme court in 2010 asking him to look into the situation. According to reports, Nisar was overheard explaining the judgment to Raheem and claiming that it provided a “way out” for them.
Moreover, Nisar also refers to the ouster of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sardar Tanveer Ilyas as the Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister over contempt of court.
At this, the senior lawyer said that they were planning to file another contempt case.
Nisar asked the lawyer to file a contempt of court case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, via Muneer Ahmed.
Meanwhile, Raheem said in the video that a verdict by the three-member bench would be out soon, in reference to the verdict issued by an eight-member bench which issued a stay on the case of clipping top justice’s powers.
The three-member bench had directed the government to release Rs21 billion by April 27 for the snap polls, and had warned of serious consequences in case of non-compliance with orders.
Here is the transcript of the latest audio leak:
Saqib Nisar: Khawaja Sahab, I wanted to tell you something.
Tariq Raheem: Yes.
Saqib Nisar: A judgement, please look into that. This is a seven-member judgement.
Tariq Raheem: Of whom? [Or which one?]
Saqib Nisar: Jee this is the sou motu (notice) number 4 of 2010, sir. This seven-member judgement, 2012, has been reported on page number 553 of the Supreme Court.
Tariq Raheem: Okay
Saqib Nisar: This is okay, right?
Tariq Raheem: I will look into it.
Saqib Nisar: Whoever is your lawyer, tell him to check it out. It states that if… Never mind, you’ll know when you will read it.
Tariq Raheem: I will read. I have seen the seven-member bench judgement. They have stated in it that until the act is not formulated… if you read it carefully, clause three has it…
Saqib Nisar: Yeah, yeah.
Tariq Raheem: They have given a way in it as well. Just see that.
Saqib Nisar: Yes sir, I have seen that. That is the way out for you.
Tariq Raheem: That is the way out.
Saqib Nisar: That is the way out or else there is no case.
Tariq Raheem: Yes exactly. I will see that as well.
Saqib Nisar: And secondly Khawaja sahab, if someone is ready from your side, then use Muneer Ahmed Khan’s [case] as well. It is a very clear case of contempt of court.
Tariq Raheem: We are working on it.
Saqib Nisar: Whatever happened in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, after that any…
Tariq Raheem: We are only waiting for the three-member bench’s verdict. It can take another half an hour. After that, we are filing another contempt of court case.
Saqib Nisar: Okay then. Thank you, sir, thank you.
After the audio leak, Nisar said while talking to Geo News said that the conversation with Raheem was private but he doesn’t know when and which case it was about.
“It is against the right to privacy that a conversation between two people is shared like this,” he said.
The former top judge asked if he had “sold Kashmir or made a deal about Pakistan”.
“Audio leak is a stolen property. Stealing and selling that property is the work of cursed people,” he added.
