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The Pakistan audio leaks controversy stems from several leaked audio conversations involving Pakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and former prime minister Imran Khan among others. [1] [2] The leaks began on 24 September 2022, when multiple audio files of purported conversations, allegedly recorded in the Prime Minister's Office, surfaced online. [3] On 28 September 2022, a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting was convened to discuss matters related to national security, including the audio leaks. [4] Skeptics, however, argue that the audio clips are quite obviously doctored, with major cuts and sound dips statements. Sher Zaman, a member of the Pakistan National Assembly, stated on Twitter that "All those gullible enough to believe leaked audios of Imran Khan & other PTI leaders r genuine then should believe this 1 too where Crime MInister is insulting big bro Nawaz & calling him a "fraudiya (fraud)" My advice to PMLN, at least hire a professional to make a doctored recording," posting a doctored video of Shehbaz. Mazari later said the clip has “cut-pasted bits” because she was midway through her sentence and “a different bit of conversation is pasted then the remainder of my sentence”. “Not that there is anything incriminating in entire audio so let PML-N ‘journo’ mouthpieces get their thrills!” she added. [2]
The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (Urdu: پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن), abbr.PML(N) or PML-N) is a centre-right, conservative liberal political party in Pakistan. It is currently the third-largest party in the Senate. The party was founded in 1993, when a number of prominent conservative politicians in the country joined hands after the dissolution of Islamic Democratic Alliance, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The party's platform is generally conservative, which involves supporting free markets, deregulation, lower taxes and private ownership. Although the party historically supported social conservatism, in recent years, the party's political ideology and platform has become more liberal on social and cultural issues; however, members have been accused of using Islamist populist rhetoric. Alongside the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP), it is one of the three major political parties of the country.
Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi is a Pakistani politician and former cricketer who served as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022. He is the founder and former chairman of the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from 1996 to 2023. He was the captain of the Pakistan national cricket team throughout the 1980s and early 90s.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pakistan serving as the nominal head of executive. The prime minister is often the leader of the party or the coalition with a majority in the lower house of the Parliament of Pakistan, the National Assembly where he serves as Leader of the House. Prime minister holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the National Assembly. The prime minister is designated as the "Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic".
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan, with the upper house being the Senate. As of 2023, the National Assembly has a maximum membership of 336, of which 266 are directly elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past-the-post system to represent their respective constituencies, while 70 are elected on reserved seats for women and religious minorities from all over the country. Members hold their seats for five years or until the house is dissolved by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. The house convenes at the Parliament House, Red Zone, Islamabad.
The National Security Council is a federal institutional and consultative body chaired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan as its chairman. The NSC is a principal forum that is mandated for considering national security and foreign policy matters with the senior national security advisers and Cabinet ministers. The idea and inception of National Security Council was first conceived in 1969 under the President Yahya Khan, its functions were to advise and assist the president and prime minister on national security and foreign policies.
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is a Pakistani politician and businessman who is currently serving as the 24th prime minister of Pakistan since March 2024, having previously served in the post from April 2022 to August 2023. He is the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N). Previously in his political career, he served as the chief minister of Punjab three times, making him the longest-serving chief minister of Punjab.
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The Cabinet Committee on National Security (CCNS or C2NS), (Urdu: کابینہ کمیٹی قومی سلامتی) previously known as the Defence Committee of Cabinet, is the principal federal institution and consultative forum used by the people-elected Prime Minister of Pakistan for concerning matters of state's national security, geopolitical, geostrategic, and foreign policy matters with the Prime minister's chief military advisers, senior government advisers and senior Cabinet ministers.
General elections, originally scheduled to be held in 2023, were held in Pakistan on 8 February 2024 to elect the members of the 16th National Assembly. The Election Commission of Pakistan announced the detailed schedule on 15 December 2023.
Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah NI(M) is a Pakistani general and the current Chief of Army Staff since 29 November 2022. Before becoming the army chief, he was posted at the GHQ as Quartermaster general. He commanded the XXX Corps in Gujranwala from 17 June 2019 to 6 October 2021. He served as the 23rd Director-General of the ISI until he was replaced by lieutenant general Faiz Hameed on 16 June 2019. Munir received the Sword of Honour for his performance as a cadet in the Officers Training School, Mangla.
Khalid Mahmood Gondal is a Pakistani civil servant and the former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) between 1998 and 1999. He played a significant role in shaping Pakistan cricket during his tenure and oversaw various aspects of the sport's administration and development. He is the 1967 batch of Central Superior Services. He has also served as the provincial ombudsman of the Punjab, Pakistan.
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