Tag: Azam Swati

  • Court sends Azam Swati on two-day physical remand for tweeting against senior military officials

    Court sends Azam Swati on two-day physical remand for tweeting against senior military officials

    Senator Azam Khan Swati of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was sent on a two-day physical remand in another case regarding controversial tweets after being arrested early Sunday morning.

    Swati was detained by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for the second time after a new case was registered against him for making controversial tweets against General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Major General Naseer.

    The FIA had requested Swati’s physical remand for eight days. Swati was taken into custody from his farmhouse located in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad.

    Reacting to the arrest of the senator, PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted that he was “shocked”.

    “I am shocked and appalled at how rapidly we are descending into not just a banana republic but a fascist state. How can anyone not understand the pain and suffering Senator Swati underwent with custodial torture and blackmailing video of him and his conservative wife sent to his family?” asked Khan on his party lawmaker’s arrest.

    Khan said that Swati’s “justifiable anger and frustration at the injustice meted out to him especially the doors of Supreme Court remaining closed to him despite over a fortnight of appeals by senators in support of him”.

    “So he tweets and is arrested again. Everyone must raise their voice against this state fascism,” said the PTI chief.

    Swati hurled cuss words at outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and used offensive language against Major General Faisal Naseer.

    The PTI senator called out the name of Major General Naseer and threatened him that he would have to pay the price.

    “I will go against Major General Naseer at every platform. I will use every legal and moral forum against him,” Swati said in a social media post.

    Last month, FIA took Swati into custody from his home in Islamabad and presented him before a court after he tweeted against General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    The senator has been granted bail in the case against surety bonds worth Rs1 million.

  • PTI submits petition to Supreme Court to look into attack on Imran Khan

    PTI submits petition to Supreme Court to look into attack on Imran Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has on Monday approached five registries of the Supreme Court (SC) in different cities across the country to seek the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the assassination attack on PTI chief Imran Khan in Wazirabad, the secret recording of PTI Senator Azam Swati and his wife and the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

    In the plea filed in the Lahore registry, former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar is the applicant.

    The petition about the assassination attempt on Imran Khan maintains that following the incident, another “grave injustice” continues to fester as the police have “refused to register the FIR according to the request submitted by the complainant”.

    After the former Prime Minister was shot at during his party’s Long March, an First Information Report (FIR) was not registered. Imran Khan had nominated PM Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah and Major-General Faisal Naseer as the conspirators behind the firing incident. However, later, on the SC’s orders, an FIR was registered by the Punjab police on November 8. PTI rejected the report as it did not contain the names of the people whom Khan wanted to nominate.

    The petition also sought the formation of a judicial commission into the “illegal private video recording” of Senator Azam Swati and his wife which was allegedly recorded while they were staying at an official rest house in Quetta.

    Additionally, the party has also raised the matter of slain journalist Sharif’s murder with the court. The petition said it is crucial that an independent commission inquires about the circumstance that compelled Sharif to flee the country and eventually end up in Kenya.

    In a press conference after submitting the petition to the SC’s Lahore Registry, PTI Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi also made an announcement regarding the petitions.

    He hoped that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial, would consider his party’s pleas.

    In Karachi, PTI leaders Ali Zaidi and Imran Ismail along with other party members reached the SC registry to file the petition. Meanwhile, former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri and others moved the plea in Quetta.

    Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had also written letters to the CJ to form judicial commissions on two issues — the attack on Khan and Arshad Sharif’s murder.

  • ‘My wife was sobbing uncontrollably’: Azam Swati told Human Rights Cells of SC

    ‘My wife was sobbing uncontrollably’: Azam Swati told Human Rights Cells of SC

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati has submitted an application to the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court (SC), requesting to “safeguard sanctity, honour, privacy and respect of the Senator after the leak of him and his wife’s private recorded video.”

    In the petition, it is stated that the “applicant brought the honorable court’s attention towards this most inhuman and unethical incident.”

    Swati narrated the incident including details of how he got to know about the video when an unknown number sent the clip to his wife. He said that the “main part of the video is genuine and it was taken when the couple was staying in Quetta.”

    After watching the video, Swati said, “My wife called me after watching, remembering and confirming the details of the video. She was sobbing uncontrollably and was hardly able to utter any words.”

    Moreover, the senator named Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Assistant Director Ayaz, D.G, FIA, DGC Faisal Naseer and Brig. Fahim and others “who are involved in committing the heinous crime, violation of human rights, privacy and dignity of man.”

    He said that the people who were involved in his earlier custodial torture had sent this private video to his wife and son to blackmail him.

    ‘What happened to you is very tragic’: CJP Bandial to Azam Swati

    On November 8, during the hearing of PTI chief Imran Khan’s contempt of court case in SC, when Swati appeared before the court, Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial spoke to him that “What happened to you is very tragic”.

    The Chief Justice corrected Swati that he had never stayed in the rest house of the SC, to which Azam Swati replied, “Yes, you are right, I had stayed in Quetta Federal Lodge.”

    “Your case is ongoing in Human Rights Cell. The court is careful in this matter, the case will be seen according to the law,” said the CJP.

    Swati asked whether he can show the alleged video to anyone other than the judges. To this, the CJ directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to remove the alleged video of the senator To this, the PTI leader said that “The video that will be removed may not be the one that was sent to me”.

    The same day Swati said that he will show the recorded private video of him and his wife to the SC and will tell the court which clips of the video are fabricated and which are real.

    Talking to media outside of the apex court, Azam dismissed the FIA assessment of the video as being “fake and edited”.

    “Why did we [me and my wife] say that the recorded video is of Quetta,” the senator added.

    Moreover, the senator appealed to CJ for justice. He also urged the Chairman of the Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, to follow the constitution.

    Prior to this, Swati had alleged that the video was recorded when he and his wife had visited Quetta where he stayed at the Supreme Court Judicial Lodges. According to Swati, Chairman Sanjrani had arranged his stay. However, the SC issued a clarification stating that Senator Azam Swati “Never used/stayed in Supreme Court Judges Rest House at Quetta”, adding that according to the Balochistan Special Branch, Swati stayed at the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex Quetta), which is not under the SC’s control.

    Chairman Sanjrani had also issued a statement where he condemned the video and also said that he provided Swati and his wife with the best and safest accommodation as guests in Quetta.

    Pointing fingers towards FIA’s Assistant Director Ayaz Khan, the senator said General Headquarters (GHQ) should summon him [Ayaz] so that he can reveal the truth “that on whose orders he arrested me and raided my house.”

    Earlier, Chairman Sanjrani formed a 14-member special committee to probe the alleged “obscene video” of Swati.

    On November 5, Swati broke into tears during a press conference, alleging that he and his wife were secretly recorded in a room and he was informed about it by his daughter.

  • Visuals of an elderly man in anguish left us all shaken, wondering: are any of us safe?

    Visuals of an elderly man in anguish left us all shaken, wondering: are any of us safe?

    PTI Senator Azam Swati made some shocking revelations on Saturday when he broke down in front of the media while narrating how his wife was sent a private video of the couple by an unknown number. Swati said that his wife was not even able to tell him what had happened, and his daughter had to finally let him know what his wife could not. He said that after this incident, his wife, his daughter-in-law and his three granddaughters left the country.

    Swati alleged that the video was recorded when he and his wife had visited Quetta where he stayed at the Supreme Court Judicial Lodges. According to Swati, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani had arranged his stay. However, the Supreme Court (SC) issued a clarification on Sunday stating that Senator Azam Swati “never used/stayed in Supreme Court Judges Rest House at Quetta”, adding that according to the Balochistan Special Branch, Swati stayed at the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex Quetta), which is not under the SC’s control. Chairman Sanjrani had also issued a statement where he condemned the video and also said that he provided Swati and his wife with the best and safest accommodation as guests in Quetta.

    The visuals of an elderly Swati in tears left everyone shaken. After Swati’s press conference, there was widespread condemnation. PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted that he wants to apologise on behalf of Pakistan to Mrs Swati “for the pain, anguish and sense of humiliation she is having to suffer”. He requested Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to take suo motu notice of this harrowing incident. It was also encouraging to see that despite being in other political parties, PPP’s Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar condemned this violation of privacy in the strongest possible words, as did PPP’s Nadeem Afzal Chan, PML-N’s Miftah Ismail and Musadik Malik.

    However, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has termed the video circulating on the internet as “fake” and added that the agency has analysed the video forensically as per international forensic analysis standards and found it to be fake. In a press release, FIA stated: “Initial forensic analysis revealed that the video has been edited and different video clips have been joined with defaced faces. Further analysis revealed that faces have been swapped in the images using photoshop.” Some journalists have also alleged that Swati’s wife received a fake and edited video. Whether the video is fake or not needs to be investigated properly.

    Chairman Sanjrani formed a 14-member special to probe the alleged video. If the video is not fake, it is deeply disturbing that private videos of parliamentarians are being recorded to blackmail them.

    To violate someone’s privacy like this is disgusting and shameful to say the least. It is not as if there’s no history of recording private audios and videos in Pakistan. We are aware of how politicians, members of the judiciary, journalists, activists and many others have been blackmailed over the years due to ‘files’, ‘videos’, ‘audios’, etc. But recording a man and his wife is the lowest of the low that one can possibly imagine. But if the video turns out to be fake, it is equally worrying that at a time when emotions are high after the assassination attempt on Khan, someone sends a fake video to Swati’s wife, knowing fully well how distressing it will be for their family and lead to further political chaos. A high-level investigation must take place in order to ascertain the facts. It is important that the perpetrators must face the penalty for their horrendous act.

  • ‘Daddy, video apki aur mama ki hai’: Azam Swati breaks down in a press conference

    ‘Daddy, video apki aur mama ki hai’: Azam Swati breaks down in a press conference

    Azam Swati, senator of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), broke into tears during a press conference on Saturday, alleging that he and his wife were secretly recorded in a room.

    Swati told the media that his wife was screaming and crying while he kept asking her what happened. “This lasted for five to 10 minutes but she didn’t speak. I called my daughter and told her to ask what happened to my beloved wife,” he stated, adding that he could not see his wife in this much pain. “I am a heart patient and have three stents. My heart was exploding,” said Swati. He then narrated that his daughter then told him to wait for a bit while she went to talk to his wife and tried to calm her down.

    “The mother said someone has sent me a video anonymously., and he [your father] is in the video,” said Swati.

    “I told my daughter, doesn’t your mother understand that I sleep at 9pm and wake for tahajjud prayer at 3:30am. I have spent my whole life with your mother. Doesn’t she know that just a few days ago on 13th October, I was picked up by these merciless people, who made my video. In the present times altering a video and making a fake one is not difficult,” said Swati.

    “In tears, she [Swati’s daughter] told me, ‘Daddy, this video is not of someone else but you and Mama,’” said Swati breaking down in tears.

    ” I said, how is this even possible,” asked a visibly emotional Swati.

    Responding to what had happened, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan tweeted, “I want to apologise on behalf of Pakistan to Mrs Swati, a very private, non public, tahajut guzaar lady for the pain, anguish and sense of humiliation she is having to suffer [sic].”

    “Pakistan was created on Islamic moral values of human dignity, honour of the family & inviolability of chadar & chardawari. What has happened to Azam Swati at the hands of the State has been a blatant violation of all these values – from being stripped naked to custodial torture, & now this video where privacy of his wife has been violated. It is both shocking, despicable & utterly condemnable. No human being should have to suffer this. I call on the CJP to take suo moto notice of this [sic].”

    Not only this but after Swati’s shocking claims his opponents — including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Mustafa Khokhar, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Miftah Ismail and Dr Musadik Masood Malik— tweeted in support of Swati.

    The Federal Investigation Agency has released a press release stating that the obscene video of PTI Senator Azam Swati is “fake”.

    “The video has been edited and different video clips have been joined together…the faces are photoshopped,” it said.

    PTI Senator Azam Swati was arrested on Thursday for allegedly tweeting a “highly obnoxious and intimidating message” against state institutions, including the army chief, according to a criminal complaint filed by the FIA.

    Swati’s tweet named the army chief and came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz were acquitted in a high-profile money laundering case.

    Since his arrest, Swati has alleged he was stripped and tortured and has named two military officials behind his ordeal. The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights also condemned the incident.

  • ‘Laga dein martial law’: Twitter questions ‘what’s wrong’ with Khan?

    ‘Laga dein martial law’: Twitter questions ‘what’s wrong’ with Khan?

    Twitter has reacted strongly to a statement by Imran Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who said in an interview, “Let them impose martial law.” On the fourth day of his long march, his statement was addressed to the establishment in reply to a question asked by journalist Imran Riaz Khan.

    “Impose martial law. If they want to impose, It doesn’t affect me,” said Khan.

    Khan further added that the current political scenario in the country was worst than former President and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Pervez Musharraf’s martial law. Khan added that when PTI leaders Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill were tortured they were told that, “Imran would face the same.”

    The former Prime Minister said that he would not be scared or intimidated, adding that those who want to destroy the country’s biggest political party are cowards.

    “Until there is rule of law and accountability for all, there is no future for Pakistan,” Khan said.

    After the interview clip went viral on social media, Twitterati had questions about how Khan spoke and how wrong his statement on martial law was.

  • Rana Sanaullah denies PTI’s Swati’s claim of being tortured in custody by military officials

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has dismissed claims made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and Senator, Azam Swati, that he had been subjected to custodial torture and stripping by two military officials.

    In a joint press conference today (Friday), Sanaullah along with Additional Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Ayaz Khan and Head of Cybercrime Waqaruddin Syed responded to Swati’s allegations.

    The minister said that the FIA did not hand Swati over to any other institutions and denied allegations of torture, alleging that Swati and PTI were instigating mischief. “It is important to put facts before the nation, as they lie brazenly,” the minister added.

    He also invited the additional director of FIA to present the “facts” behind the raid that was conducted to arrest Swati in October.

    Ayaz said that the First Information Report (FIR) which was registered against Swati was for “a cognisable offence” after obtaining “proper” search, seizure and arrest warrants.

    He clarified that Swati was not arrested in front of his grandchildren. He further said his team went to Swati’s house with the police and before entering the house they “properly introduced” themselves at the gate.

    Talking about PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations regarding the torture and stripping of his party members including Swati and Shahbaz Gill, Sanaullah said that he doesn’t understand why Khan keeps repeating the same narrative.

    “Imran Khan has adopted an anti-national agenda and instigates propaganda. He wants to take the country toward chaos and anarchy. His propaganda will be countered at all levels,” the minister said.

    Earlier today, Swati alleged that “Major General Faisal” and “Sector Commander Fahim” were the “two culprits” behind his abuse and custodial torture. During the press conference, he also showed the alleged torture marks present on his hands.

    He also demanded that “the infamous ISI political wing be buried” as he was of the view that it is responsible for the “insult and notoriety” for the country.

    Earlier this month, Swati was arrested in a case registered against him over a controversial tweet thought to be against the armed forces. Since his arrest, Swati has alleged he was stripped and tortured while in custody.

  • Azam Swati granted bail in case of controversial tweets

    Azam Swati granted bail in case of controversial tweets

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Friday granted post-arrest bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati in a case related to controversial tweets against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Special Judge Central, Raja Asif Mehmood, announced the verdict today which was reserved a day ago. The court directed Swati to deposit surety bonds worth Rs10,000.

    PTI senator Azam Swati was taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agenc’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing (CCW) from his home in Islamabad on October 13 after registering a case against him over the tweets.

    In his concluding arguments, Swati’s counsel Baber Awan said that his client had used the right of freedom of expression through his tweet.

    Swati was tortured and humiliated during the custody, Awan alleged.

    After listening to arguments, the court reserved the decision and adjourned the case till today.

    Swati had tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”

    Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

  • Azam Swati sent to jail on judicial remand for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    A local court in Islamabad on Monday has sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati to jail on judicial remand in a case involving “controversial tweets” against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    During the hearing, Swati’s lawyer Babar Awan told the court that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was praying for the recovery of the tweet sent by Swati. He also claimed before the court that the senator had an injury on one of his fingers and had a fracture as well.

    On the other hand, the prosecutor requested the court that a three-day physical remand of the senator be approved. But the court rejected the request and instead sent Swati to jail on judicial remand

    Azam Swati in custody: Court rejects FIA request, extends one-day physical remand instead of eight days

    A district and sessions court on Saturday extended the physical remand of Swati for one day. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had requested an eight-day extension.

    On October 13, Swati was arrested in the early hours of the morning for tweeting against General Bajwa. According to Swati, he was tortured by the investigation agency while in custody.

    Earlier in the day, when the hearing began, the Senator was presented in the court after a delay.

    During the hearing, FIA officials, along with their eight-day remand request, presented the record of Swati’s “controversial tweets” in the court.

    Giving the reason for the extension, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi said that the FIA has to recover the said Twitter account’s password. He also informed the court that Swati wasn’t cooperating in the interrogation.

    Moreover, he said: “The said tweet is not the only tweet as Azam Swati has posted such tweets earlier as well.” He added that the FIA has records of the planned tweets from Swati’s official account.

    PTI’s lawyer Babar Awan also presented arguments, maintaining that the defence admits that Swati did post the tweet in question but there was legal cover.

    Awan said that he had told the senator to not say anything now. “If you want to check anything, check his [Swati’s] wounds,” he added.

  • ‘Shameful,’ Imran slams Azam Swati’s torture

    ‘Shameful,’ Imran slams Azam Swati’s torture

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, reacting to party Senator Azam Swati’s arrest has said, “The custodial torture of Azam Swati over a tweet regarding NRO-2 is another shameful incident in our history.”

    “Can people be forced to respect an individual or institution through bullying and violence,” he asked in his tweet.

    “All those who not only escaped from accountability but allowed biggest criminals to come to power once again after defrauding the national treasury of billions, disgrace has been written in their destiny,” he declared.

    PTI Senator Azam Swati was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning for tweeting against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Speaking to reporters outside a sessions court later in the day, Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

    Swati tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”