The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday submitted its one-page reply in the audio leaks case to the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The case involves former first lady Bushra Bibi, and Najam Saqib, son of former chief justice (CJP) Saqib Nisar. The hearing was presided over by Justice Babar Sattar of the IHC.
In its reply, the ministry disclosed the availability of affordable tools for recording audio from smartphones and emphasised the potential manipulation of voice content using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
Additionally, it highlighted the role of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime Wing under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PICA), 2016, and requested the court to direct the cybercrime wing to further investigate the matter. The response also expressed concerns about callers recording calls themselves or any potential phone hacks.
The court then adjourned the hearing of the case till February 19, 2024.
During the last hearing, the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) informed the IHC that the government had not granted permission for audio tapping to any institution or spy agency.
AGP Mansoor Usman Awan further told the IHC that any government agency conducting such recordings was doing so “unlawfully”, as he submitted a report to the court on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
