ISLAMABAD: An audio clip of a purported conversation between Bushra Bibi, wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, and one of her staffers surfaced online in Pakistan on Friday, in which the former first lady can be heard scolding a man for photographing items coming into her home from the state repository, called 'Toshakhana.'
The latest audio leak comes a week after an audio clip allegedly featured Bibi directing Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, one of Khan’s closest aides, to sell some of Khan's wristwatches.
Khan, who was ousted from power in April, has been embroiled in a controversy involving the sale of state gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch set gifted to him on his trip to Saudi Arabia in 2018. In October, Pakistan's election regulator also disqualified Khan from holding public office for failing to declare assets from the sale of these gifts.
In the audio clip that surfaced on Friday, Bibi can be heard allegedly questioning Inam Khan, former administrator of Khan's personal residence in Islamabad, about pictures of Toshakhana items delivered at their home.
“The things that came from the Toshakhana, did you ask Akbar to ‘take photos and send them to me’,” the former first lady asks Inam.
“No, I didn’t say so,” Inam replies.
“So why were the photographs taken? Photos of things coming into the house are not taken, only of those going out of the house should be taken... why are photos being taken of the things coming to me,” Bibi grills Inam.
When Inam denies directing anyone to take pictures, Bibi says she was told he had directed for the photos.
After the former first lady inquires another staffer in the background about the directives, Inam interjects and says he did receive the photos but never gave directives for them.
“Who asked to take the pictures? Who? Why? Who, what proof? Photos of things coming inside the house shouldn’t be taken because they are coming to me. Photos should be taken of the things going outside,” Bibi purportedly tells the other staffer in the background.
“Who takes photos of things coming inside the house? Proof of what... Did you ask me? What do you mean by sorry? You guys have made a mockery of this house,” she admonishes the other man. “That MS is sending by trusting us. He didn’t take pictures, who are you to do so?”
Bibi then turns back to Inam and asks: “And why did he send the pictures to you?”
To which, Inam replies, “I don’t know... I was told these things have come and we are sending them inside. I said give it to Bibi, she will deal with it.”
Bibi then tells Inam not to enter the house henceforth, confirming if he understands the instructions.
Inam confirmed to Pakistan's Geo News channel that it was his voice in the leaked audio clip. "Yes, I was the one who spoke to Bushra Bibi about the Toshakhana gifts," he was quoted as saying by the TV station.
Responding to a question about the audio leak, Khan aide Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said it had no authenticity and such audio and video clips could not dent Khan's popularity or prove him corrupt.
“Something which has no context or beginning or end... what is happening right now I am telling you is that different audios were recorded and then they were linked by copying and pasting,” he told reporters in Lahore Friday evening.
"None of these audios, videos have authenticity, no one knows the background or anything. And if someone thinks that such audio and video can get anyone some political mileage and you will be able to prove Imran Khan corrupt, then they should come out of the world of dreams to reality."
Of late, a series of audio recordings have surfaced, featuring Pakistan's current and former prime ministers, cabinet members and officials in conversations not supposed to be public knowledge.
A few clips featured conversations between Khan and his former ministers and principal secretary about an alleged diplomatic cipher, which has been at the center of Khan's allegations that his ouster was part of a "conspiracy" backed by the United States.
PM Shehbaz Sharif has since launched an investigation into the leaks and strengthened cyber security protocols at government offices.
Khan has been summoned by an Islamabad court on January 9 in a case filed against him by the Election Commission of Pakistan, seeking criminal proceedings against the former premier for hiding assets he made through the sale of Toshakhana gifts.
