The Supreme Court was petitioned on Monday to order an investigation into the controversy regarding the alleged existence of an audio tape that would threaten civil military relations.
The petition was lodged in the aftermath of the resignation of former Minister Senator Mushahidullah Khan. The senator had claimed the existence of a controversial audio tape in an earlier interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which he alleged was a recording of former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General (DG) Zaheerul Islam conspiring to overthrow the country’s civil and military leadership. The former minister was summoned to explain his statements to Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif in a meeting at PM House, during which PM accepted Mushahidullah’s resignation.
The petition lodged with Supreme Court named its respondents as Mushahidullah Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) General Asim Bajwa. It asked the court to order a commission to further investigate the matter, and take action against the former DG ISI under Section 2 (1d) of the Pakistan Army Act 1952 should the alleged existence of the tape prove to be true. Should the tape be proven nonexistent, petitioner Advocate Tariq Asad said the court should ask the Senate to deseat him under Article 62 (f and h) of the constitution.
In addition the petitioner asked the court to take similar action against Khwaja Asif should his allegations during 2014’s sit-ins also prove false.
In related news, Pakistan Muslim League Q (PMLQ) President Chaudhry Shujat Hussain asked the court to take suo motto notice in light of the controversy in order to eliminate ambiguity and discourage false statements against the army.