LAHORE: Another alleged audio clip of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz surfaced on Tuesday in which she can be heard praising “media management” skills.
In the audio clip, Maryam is heard telling someone, “Have you seen my media management skills. Geo and Dunya News channels have ruined them”. It is unclear when the clip was recorded and to what series of events she was referring to.
Speaking to journalists outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Maryam was asked about the alleged audio clip and whether it was actually her. The clip was also played for the PMLN leader.
Earlier, a similar audio clip of Maryam issuing instructions to refuse advertisements to certain TV channels had surfaced, which she admitted was genuine.
“I have already answered this, and clearly given an answer,” she said. When the reporter continued to probe her, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb interrupted by saying “she has already answered the question.” Maryam left without answering.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Tiwtter said that audio clips of the opposition leader had exposed the flaws in the country’s media structure.
مریم نواز کی پےدر پے آنیوالی آڈیوز نے پاکستان کے میڈیا سٹرکچر کی خامیاں سب کے سامنے آشکار کر دیں ہیں اگر ایسا میڈیا آزاد میڈیا ہے تو پھر غلام میڈیا کیا ہو گا؟ میڈیا کی آزادی مافیاز نے یرغمال بنا رکھی ہے ۔۔۔۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 21, 2021
“If such a media [industry] is free, then what would a curbed one look like? Media freedom is being held captive by the country’s mafias,” the minister added.
Shahbaz Gill, the PM’s Advisor on political communication, said the new leak had raised questions on the impartiality of the two TV channels.
مریم کی نئی آڈیو ٹیپ کے بعد جیو اور دنیا ٹی وی کو اپنی پوزیشن واضح کرنی چاہئیے۔ مریم بار بار ان کی جانبداری کا دعوہ فرما رہی ہیں۔ مریم کے ترجمان ان کی آڈیو کو حقیقت مان چکے ہیں۔ اس کے بعد ان اداروں کو اپنی پوزیشن واضح کرنی ہو گی۔اگر یہ جھوٹ ہے تو مریم سے معافی کا تقاضہ کریں
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) December 21, 2021
In a statement, he said if what the PMLN leaders had said in the clip is true, the two channels should apologize to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
‘Maryam admits to audio clip’
Earlier, a similar audio clip of Maryam issuing instructions to refuse advertisements to certain TV channels had surfaced, which she admitted was genuine. In the eight-second clip, Maryam could be heard saying: “No ad at all will be given to Channel 24, Samaa, 92 News and ARY.”
When asked about the authenticity of the clip at a press conference, Maryam admitted that the voice in the clip was hers, saying: “I am not saying it has been compiled from different [separate] occasions. It is my voice.”
When asked about the clip again, Maryam said it was an “old” clip from the time she was managing the PML-N’s media cell.
