What embarrassment would be greater for a public figure than the exposure of his own lies and double standards before the people he claims to be the saviour of.

Audio, the latest in the series of leaks, released by an unknown hacker, is believed to have brought such embarrassment to Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In that audio, former prime minister Imran Khan, who is admired by his followers for an unflinching stance on corrupt practices, has been heard strategizing on horse trading in Parliament.

Imran Khan is the same person who, in past, had accused the dissident lawmakers of his party of ‘shirk’—an unforgivable sin in Islam—for switching sides ahead of a no-confidence motion against him in April 2022.

He, ahead of Punjab chief minister’s election, had also alleged that the PTI MPAs were being offered Rs500 million to switch their loyalties.

The PTI chairman, in a video message to his workers on March 24 last, had also termed horse trading an evil. “I want my entire nation to come out with me on March 27 to give a loud message that we are not supporting evil and are against it,” he had said.

He had also blamed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) supremo Asif Ali Zardari and other leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for horse-trading to topple his government in the Centre and Punjab.