The audio leaks continue and this time the spotlight falls on former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and the so-called foreign conspiracy to oust his government. The leaked clip allegedly featured Mr Imran Khan and his principal secretary, Azam Khan, strategising their moves on the Cablegate affair which only further confirms that all of it was just a ploy to score political points when the PTI found itself in a tight corner.
The audio clip very clearly shows that the two individuals were deliberating on how the cipher from the US can be made into a viable document on record, with the PM stressing how this document has to be used to the party’s benefit in the public domain against its political rivals. If there were still any lingering doubts about this, the clip makes it very clear that the intention was to blow up a diplomatic cable just for furthering political designs.
While domestic politics have certainly hit a new low over the past year, it is extremely unfortunate to see how there was no hesitancy whatsoever in sabotaging relations with a key international actor such as the US but has also harmed the credibility of Pakistan’s foreign office. While the PDM government has sought to make amends in the international circuit, this saga will surely continue to haunt our bilateral ties with key partners and the reputation of our diplomatic missions.
Despite the leak, the PTI and Mr Imran Khan chose to double down on the fabricated narrative, arguing that the leak only confirmed the existence of the cipher and foreign conspiracy. This is a very unfortunate state of affairs where such tactics are being used to further polarise and divide the country, only for the sake of political mileage.