Audio leaks case: IHC serves contempt notices to chiefs of IB, FIA and PTA

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued contempt notices to the director generals of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for filing petitions seeking recusal of Justice Babar Sattar from the audio leaks case, ARY News reported on Saturday.

In a 40-page order on petitions seeking Justice Babar Sattar’s recusal, the high court declared that the pleas were filed with mala fide intentions and imposed a fine of Rs0.5 million on IB, FIA and PTA.

While dismissing the petitions, the court also ordered the authorities who authorised the filing of the petitions to pay the fine.

The IHC noted in its order that the chiefs had been notified as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.

It observed that the four institutions had filed petitions under a ‘single scheme’, attempting to intimidate and pressurise the judges.

“The court is providing an opportunity for the parties involved in the phone tapping case to present their arguments”, the order stated, noting that it has been observed that the government has failed to protect the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.

The development came as the IHC heard a case in connection with the petitions filed last year by PTI founder Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and former top judge Mian Saqib Nisar’s son Najam Saqib against the alleged audio leaks.

Saqib had challenged the inquiry of a parliamentary committee on his alleged audio in which he purportedly sought a bribe while Bushra Bibi had challenged an FIA inquiry based on her alleged conversation with Zulfi Bukhari, a former aide to then-PM Imran, for selling Toshakhana gifts.

In May last year, Justice Sattar had asked the intelligence agencies and PTA to trace the source of the audio leak while Pemra was told not to broadcast the unauthorised and leaked conversation of citizens.

IB and ISI reports stated that phone calls could be tapped through mobile apps and viruses, and intelligence agencies cannot trace the source. The ISI report said it was unable to trace the source of leaks due to encryption.

Justice Sattar advised the assistant attorney general to file submissions along with the reply to the court notice issued to the IB.

Earlier this week, respondents in the audio leaks case, including IB, Federal Investigation Agency, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, had filed applications seeking Justice Sattar’s recusal.