Daily Times

The release of an alleged telephonic conversation between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and party leader Dr Arif Alvi has given a new twist to the ongoing political tussle between the PML-N and PTI. In the alleged conversation, Imran expressed his happiness when he was informed that protesters have entered the Pakistan Television (PTV) offices in Islamabad at the height of the PTI sit-in. Hundreds of protesters allegedly belonging to the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek briefly seized the state broadcaster on September 1, 2014 at a time when the country was in the grip of an intense political crisis spearheaded by Imran and Tahirul Qadri. Although at that time Imran Khan had distanced himself from the attackers, yet the content of the tape raises suspicions that the PTI activists were involved in attacking the PTV building. The controversial audio recording has attracted sharp responses from the PTI and other rival parties. The PTI leadership has denounced the recording and termed it a fake one. However, at the same time, party leadership expressed its concern about the recording of private conversations and declared this act illegal and unconstitutional. It also demanded the arrest of those who doctored the tape. The MQM came down hard on the PTI chief and declared him morally bankrupt on the basis of this recorded audio tape. The MQM already has a grudge against Imran Khan for passing what the party considers nasty remarks against its leader Altaf Hussain. The PML-N has criticised Imran for using derogatory language against the prime minister in the alleged tape recording.

The release of the audio tape as well its timing has given birth to a number of intriguing questions, such as who can tape this conversation and with what motive and who was interested in discrediting the PTI through its release now? The recording has raised many eyebrows. It has been released at a time when the government and PTI had reached an agreement on the formation of the judicial commission. It may prove a great setback to the reconciliation process between the PML-N and PTI amidst an uncertain political situation when the MQM and PPP are already under pressure due to an ongoing operation in Karachi. Now the PTI has also come under fire due to the release of this alleged tape. The government seems very enthusiastic about this new political development. The PTI alleges that it is a government tactic to avoid the formation of the judicial commission. The leakage of this tape may prove detrimental to the formation of the commission to probe alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections. The tape scandal may lead to bigger political uncertainty. The PTI chief has expressed his doubts about the government’s intentions. He has claimed that the government has notified that it wants to amend the memorandum of understanding about the formation of the judicial commission. The claim has been refuted by Ishaq Dar who has said that they are in touch with PTI General Secretary Jehangir Tareen regarding the formation of the commission. Imran Khan has threatened that if the government backs out now, the PTI will come out on the streets again.
The consensus built between the PML-N and PTI is very important and can bring the political uncertainty to an end. The people of Pakistan can no more afford the politics of agitation. There are already a number of problems and threats the country has been facing for the last many years. Any political gridlock will further add to their woes. Both parties must not make this audio tape a big issue and not allow it to become a reason for another political tussle. Rather, the PML-N should take immediate steps for the formation of the commission so that all speculations die down. Imran Khan should exhibit some maturity by not targeting the PML-N in haste. It should also be probed that who was the perpetrator of the tape recording and its release that may lead to spoiling the reconciliation process between both major political parties. *