Audio clips released in the last few days have convulsed the politics of the country, not so much because of their content, though that has been explosive enough, because of the fact that they are of the face-to-face conversations of successive Prime Ministers with confidants, in the office of PM House. The alleged hacker, who hides behind a Twitter handle, has threatened more revelations, involving other high government functionaries, and explicit videos of Imran Khan.
One of the most puzzling aspects of the episode has been the parties’ reactions. Both have made perfunctory condemnations of the fact that there has been a security breach of humungous proportions, but then concentrated on the content of what has been revealed, mining it to advance their respective narratives. Whereas the PTI is advancing its narrative of PML(N) corruption by quoting Mian Shehbaz Sharif’s conversation with Maryam Nawaz, the PML(N) is using Mr Khan’s conversation with his Principal Secretary to show that his narrative of a foreign conspiracy is false, that he himself tweaked the evidence to create that narrative. One angle is that this would create an impression abroad that Pakistan’s politicians are unable to take anything seriously, and will scramble for political advantage no matter what national tragedy has occurred.
Another aspect of the whole affair is that, like previous leaks, it has occurred at a time when Mr Khan is planning a long march on Islamabad. It is almost as if he is being shown that other, more damaging material, can be released. At the same time, Mr Sharif is also being shown that he is also vulnerable to exposure for his words and deeds in a place that is supposed to be safer than anywhere else in the country. There has to be a thorough investigation of all aspects of this breach, and no argument should be tolerated about any all-wise guardians monitoring politicians’ nefarious activities.
Above all, this should not be allowed to become the new normal. A general election is due next year, and it is not beyond reason to expect further leaks to take place. If politicians do not want stones thrown at their glass houses, they must agree to prevent such leaks. That might be easier said than done, for those collecting the information might ask pointedly what they are trying to hide, even though that is not the issue, nor is the privacy of an individual. It is not even a question of whether any particular place is safe or not, but of whether any government functionary, whether PM or one of the lower division clerks in his office, can function without fearful glances over his shoulder.
