Swati resigns on ‘moral grounds’

Minister Fawad Chaudhry says resignation reflects democratic traditions of Naya Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Swati currently faces a suo motu case in the Supreme Court pertaining to ‘illegal’ transfer of former Islamabad inspector general Jan Muhammad.

Speaking to Express News, he said “To uphold my moral authority, I have sent my resignation to the prime minister.” He added that he cannot work under such conditions.

The minister said that PM Imran had also agreed with him on the decision. “I will defend my case now without any authority or portfolio,” he said.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the culture of self-accountability introduced by Prime Minister Imran Khan was prevalent only in advanced democratic countries.

In a tweet over the tendering of resignation by Swati, he said, these democratic traditions are the face of Naya Pakistan.

He added that Sawti was the second minister who tendered resignation over routine investigations while in the past even convicted persons remained glued to their posts.

The transfer of the IG took place after Swati’s son registered a case against a family belonging to slums for allegedly trespassing his family’s land. The family was released after a day’s detention.

The police said a settlement had been reached between Swati and the detained family.

The argument with the family, coupled with the IG’s transfer had caught the attention of the media and the Supreme Court.

Subsequently, the top court formed a Joint Investigation Team to probe the case.

Last month, the JIT investigating the alleged role of Swati in the transfer of a former Islamabad police chief, submitted its report to the apex court. The JIT had been formed by the top court after it took suo motu notice of IGP Jan Muhammad’s transfer from the capital.

With regard to the IG’s transfer, the minister had earlier disclosed that he contacted the IG on his phone for more than 20 hours but no one had picked up the phone.   He said he lodged complaints with the prime minister, Senate chairman and state minister for interior.

Earlier on Wednesday, the top court had sought legal assistance from two lawyers for suggesting a possible course of action against Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati in view of a JIT’s damning reports highlighting his alleged misuse of authority.

Renowned lawyers Khalid Javed Khan and Faisal Siddiqui would give legal assistance about the applicability of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution on Swati, who allegedly used his influence on police to victimise the family of one Niaz Muhammad whose cow allegedly grazed on his land. The article pertains to qualifications required for membership of parliament.

It is pertinent to mention that Azam Swati is the second member of PM Imran Khan's cabinet to have tendered resignation. Earlier, it was Babar Awan, who had to resign from the post of adviser to the PM on parliamentary affairs after National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a corruption reference over his alleged involvement in inordinate delay in construction of the 525MW Nandipur power plant.