ISLAMABAD – The government and the former ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf(PTI) slammed each other over a leaked audio clip of Shaukat Tarin in whichhe asked Punjab and KP ministers to backtrack from IMF commitments topressurize PML-N government.

The origin and authenticity of the tape remained a mystery until formerfinance minister and senior PTI leader Asad Umar came to defend Tarin, whoremained in limelight since the audio got leaked online.

In the phone call, Pakistan’s former finance chief is apparently askingMohsin Leghari and Taimur Jhagra to do a volte-face citing provincialsurplus.

Also, Tarin tells Leghari to prepare a letter mentioning the devastatingsituation after the flood emergency as the reason for not being able tohonor the commitment, a move which according to Tarin will pressuriseSharif’s government.

He even gives the rationale behind the extreme move, saying the PML-N-ledgovernment should be taught a lesson for creating hardships for theopposition.

Leghari, however, raises questions about Tarin’s move, asking if it wouldsuffer Pakistan. Tarin then says that that’s already suffering the way theytreat your chairman Imran Khan and everybody else.

In another audio leak, the Pakistani senator can be heard asking KP financeminister Taimoor Jhagra if he had written the letter on which the latterresponded to him, saying he will send the letter soon as he drafts it.