Islamabad, May 20, 2026: An alleged audio recording purportedly featuring two militant commanders based in Afghanistan and South Waziristan has surfaced online, prompting claims of internal discussions involving a provincial lawmaker from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified, and no official confirmation has been issued regarding the identities of the voices or the claims made in the audio.
According to claims circulating alongside the purported recording, the individuals heard in the conversation allegedly refer to PTI Member of the Provincial Assembly Asif Mehsud as an associate and discuss instructions that he should not be subjected to extortion.
In the purported audio, one speaker allegedly claims that an individual identified as “Rakti” issued an extortion demand to Asif Mehsud and searched him.
The recording further allegedly suggests that another commander, identified as “Badshah” and described as being based in Afghanistan, intervened and instructed that Asif Mehsud should not be abducted and instead be allowed to leave.
No independent evidence has emerged to substantiate the allegations contained in the audio, and it remains unclear when or where the purported conversation took place. There has also been no immediate public response from Asif Mehsud or PTI regarding the claims.
