If a political victory is to be secured, then in today’s day, an airtight, spectacular digital strategy is required where PR and marketing is packaged into one – as is security. Given the recent alarming audio leaks, it is clear that not only are political parties lacking the finesse required to put their best foot forward in terms of PR and marketing, but Pakistan’s security is almost non-existent. Audio files being leaked from the PM House is no laughing matter as it is not just a cybercrime but it is also indicative of how weak the state has, who holds the reigns of security in their hands and the carelessness with which sensitive data is handled.
In total there is 8GB worth of data, some of which – the leaked files – are currently allegedly being shared on the dark web. One audio file involves the current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his niece the PML N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in which she is asking for a power plant from India to be imported for her son-in-law.
There are two things to consider here – one is the fact that such recordings are taking place and the question is who is issuing the orders to do so; secondly, the leaks themselves. If secretly recording is not bad enough, there is a massive issue of who is leaking them? And what is to be gained from such acts of recording and then leaking them onto the internet via social media platforms and enabling access via the dark web?
The PTI’s use of these files as a means to malign the PML N and the lack of a response by the PML N. This is not a new development in Pakistan’s politics but a repeat and more worryingly, a pattern. Such security breaches are to be investigated and not utilised for point scoring as it is a matter of international concern and national safety. The PTI had justified the recordings concerning them as nothing to be worried about as they had nothing to hide – this is not the most reassuring excuse when it blatantly ignores that a cybercrime has been committed where security of the PM House has been compromised and sensitive files had been made public and that too on a social media platform.
The PML N’s delay over the audio files concerning them is the other reaction. Federal Minister for Information Marriyam Aurangzeb responded a few days later taking the line that there was nothing to worry about as it was clear that there was no illegal business conducted. This is a not the most comforting explanation because as the party in government they ought to be considering whether such recordings are to be allowed under the law and whether this action falls within the Constitution; and secondly, to be so blasé about such a breach on two levels (recording and leaking), is this a norm? As if so, why is it a norm? Surely under a democracy, the PM has to have the right of privacy when dealing with State matters, government officials and other national institutions. Why is this being compromised?
While the country continues to reel from the floodwater, the political parties continue to act out using the audio files as a means of distractions from other matters, namely the return of Ishaq Dar. What has ensued as an apparent battle between Memonomics Vs Daronomics, there is a deeper meaning to this move. Ishaq Dar, firmly entrenched in Nawaz Sharif’s corner is being sent back to take up the position of Federal Minister of Finance. Was Miftah Ismail really that bad? Or is Dar to return to clean up and maybe salvage something from the mess created by the Hamza Shahbaz experiment? Is he the man that can ensure Maryam Nawaz can take centre stage again in a more substantial manner?
To pin the battle between Ismail and Dar is again, a mere sensationalist idea sold to the masses for entertainment to take away from the real issues at hand. This move indicates the rumblings in the PML N which do not necessarily bode well if the ultimate prize is a general election win. Exactly what Dar will offer in terms of economic policy is yet to be seen but what is not needed right now is a political party internal struggle when the party is barely managing to survive as a contender for the next general elections.
The way things stand, there are greater issues to address, national security being the foremost and until this is addressed, power shows can carry on social media via audio clips and finance ministers, while power plays are conducted elsewhere.