PTI Senator Azam Swati’s press conference where he broke down while claiming his wife was sent a private video of her and him from an unknown number, was met with widespread shock and outrage on Saturday.
During the presser, he revealed that his daughter kept weeping on the other side of the phone and said, “Daddy, this video isn’t of anyone else.. it is yours and my mother’s”.
Former finance minister Miftah Ismail, from PTI's arch rival party the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), stated that he had never felt the urge to retweet PTI chief Imran Khan but “had to agree” that the video of Swati’s spouse was “beyond the pale”.
I have never felt the urge to retweet Imran Khan but here I have to agree with him. The video of Begum Azam Swati is clearly beyond the pale. I feel ashamed that an honourable woman can be so humiliated in my country. This madness must stop. https://t.co/h9YLJVxjQD
— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) November 5, 2022
“I feel ashamed that an honourable woman can be so humiliated in my country. This madness must stop,” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Siraj-ul-Haq said that the “worst treatment meted out to Senator Azam Swati was extremely shameful”, adding that his press conference was “heartbreaking”.
سینیٹر اعظم سواتی کے ساتھ ہونے والا بدترین سلوک انتہائی شرمناک ہے۔ ان کی ویڈیو دیکھ کر دل سخت رنجیدہ ہے
— Siraj ul Haq (@SirajOfficial) November 5, 2022
چیئرمین سینیٹ معاملے کی فوری تحقیقات کے لیے پارلیمانی کمیٹی بنائیں۔ چیف جسٹس حالیہ دنوں میں ہونے والے واقعات کا سوموٹو نوٹس لیں۔ سچائی قوم کے سامنے آئے، ملزمان کو کڑی سزا ہو
He urged the Senate chair to “form a parliamentary committee to investigate the matter immediately” and urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the events.
“Reveal the truth before the nation and punish the culprit severely,” he said.
Senior journalist Hamid Mir stated that all the parties in the Senate should form a joint parliamentary inquiry committee on Swati’s complaint and advised them to “not wait for the Supreme Court”.
سپریم کورٹ کا انتظار مت کریں سینیٹ میں موجود تمام جماعتیں اعظم سواتی صاحب کی شکائت پر ایک مشترکہ پارلیمانی تحقیقاتی کمیٹی بنائیں یہ کمیٹی دو ہفتے کے اندر اندر اپنی رپورٹ ایوان میں پیش کرے https://t.co/v2lqQdfhlG
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) November 5, 2022
“This committee should submit its report to the House within two weeks,” he said.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry stated that the incident marked “another sad day” in the history of Pakistan and asked what was wrong with people.
Yet another Sad day in history of Pak, what the hell has gone wrong with people, no sane mind will choose to go this path with political opposition… sad very sad https://t.co/WcclMbocXe
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 5, 2022
“No sane mind will choose to go this path with political opposition… sad very sad,” the former minister said.
He further claimed that it was “as if the guesthouses of the Supreme Court are covered with hidden cameras”.
گویا سپریم کورٹ کے گیسٹ ہاوسز مکمل طور پر خفیہ کیمروں کی زد میں ہیں وزیر اعظم کے دفتر سے لے کر اعلی عدلیہ کے جج صاحبان کی پرائیویٹ ویڈیوز بنائ گئی ہیں، یہ المناک صورتحال ہے،
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 5, 2022
“Private videos have been recorded from the Prime Minister's Office to the judges of the Supreme Court,” he said, deeming it a tragic situation.
PTI member Dr Shahbaz Gill, who also claimed of being tortured while in custody, said that the whole nation was embarrassed before Azam Swati.
اعظم سواتی صاحب قوم آپ سے شرمندہ ہے۔
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) November 5, 2022
Party leader Hammad Azhar said that Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani should not only resign but “drown in and die of shame”.
آج صادق سنجرانی کو صرف استعفاء نہیں بلکہ ڈوب مڑنا چاہیے۔
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) November 5, 2022
Read Swati appers before SC's HR cell, says 'honour ripped apart'
PTI Secretary General Asad Umar stated that nothing more cruel could happen to a human as what happened to Swati.
جو اعظم سواتی کے ساتھ ہو رہا اس سے زیادہ ظلم کسی انسان کے ساتھ نہیں ہو سکتا. کیا چیف جسٹس انصاف کریں گے یا قانون اور انصاف کے دروازے بند ہیں؟
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 5, 2022
He questioned "if the CJP will serve justice, or if the doors of law and justice are closed".
Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan also strongly condemned the “inhumane and immoral treatment of senior parliamentarian Azam Swati”, calling it a “shameful” incident.
سنیئر پارلیمنٹرین اعظم سواتی کے ساتھ غیر انسانی و غیر اخلاقی سلوک قابل شرم ہے۔جس کی بھرپور مذمت کرتا ہوں ۔اللہ تعالیٰ تمام پاکستانیوں کو اپنے حفظ و امان میں رکھیں۔امین #AzamSwati #PTI
— Mahmood Khan (@IMMahmoodKhan) November 5, 2022
He also prayed for the safety of all Pakistanis.
Senator Shahzad Waseem said that this “most despicable act against an honourable, courageous and senior politician had not only crossed all moral, legal and constitutional limits, but was also a slap in the face of the Senate and Parliament”.
ایک باکردار، دلیر اور سینئر سیاستدان @AzamKhanSwatiPk کیخلاف گھٹیا ترین حرکت نے نہ صرف تمام اخلاقی، قانونی اور آئینی حدیں پار کیں بلکہ یہ سینیٹ اور پارلیمنٹ کے منہ پر بھی طمانچہ ہے۔ یہاں کسی کی عزت، جان، گھر اور آبرو محفوط نہیں۔
— Senator Dr. Shahzad Waseem (@dswpti) November 5, 2022
آئین کی محافظ اعلیٰ عدلیہ آخر کب نوٹس لے گی؟ pic.twitter.com/YLP1GJ54Ln
“No one's honour, life, home and honour are protected here,” he claimed and asked if the “guardians of the Constitution” will take notice.
Express News Journalist and Anchor Kamran Yousaf called for a “fair and transparent investigation into the alleged video of Azam Swati” and said that “whoever is involved should be punished”.
اعظم سواتی کی مبینہ ویڈیو کے حوالے سے صاف اور شفاف تحقیقات ہونی چاہئے اور جو بھی ملوث ہے اسے قرار واقعی سزا ملنی چاہیے۔ یہ پاکستان پتہ نہیں کس طرف نکل پڑا ہے!
— Kamran Yousaf (@Kamran_Yousaf) November 5, 2022
Journalist Mazhar Abbas said that “Senator Azam Swati's video statement should be an eye opener for every democratic and rights activist”.
Senator Azam Swati's video statement should be an eye opener for every democratc and rights activist. Wonder how come someone like Senator Pervez Rasheed is silent as he himself had faced such humiliation. This is not acceptable.
— Mazhar Abbas (@MazharAbbasGEO) November 5, 2022
He wondered how “someone like Senator Pervaiz Rasheed is silent as he himself had faced such humiliation”, and called the ordeal unacceptable.
Journalist Hassan Zaidi maintained that the presser by Swati was “heartwrenching”.
Heart-wrenching presser by Sen Azam Swati. Whatever one may think about his politics, this can only be condemned in the strongest possible way. This is completely beyond the pale of all ethics and morality.
— Hasan Zaidi (@hyzaidi) November 5, 2022
“Whatever one may think about his politics, this can only be condemned in the strongest possible way,” he said, adding that the incident was beyond the pale of all ethics and morality.
Economist Faizan Khan said the incident broke his heart and urged Swati to “stay strong”.
This breaks my heart 💔 Nobody's deserves this !! Stay strong Swati sahb!
— Faizan Khan (@Faizankhaan91) November 5, 2022
P.S. To all the parliamentarians: AAJ swaati sahb tou Kal aap hon ge. Koi sharam KERO sabh. pic.twitter.com/nssZxRWbo0
“Nobody deserves this,” he said.
In a postscript, he told “all parliamentarians” that what happened with Swati today could happen with them tomorrow and asked them to have “some shame”.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JIP) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said the alleged objectionable video was the “worst character assassination” tactic to suppress the political opponents.
“I am saddened to see the press conference. I stand with Senator Azam Swati.”
یہ بدترین کردارکشی،سیاسی مخالفین کودبانےکےدہشتگردی ہتھکنڈے @AzamKhanSwatiPkمعاملےسےپہلے بھی ایسےواقعات ہوئے/الزامات لگے،حرکت جس فرد/ادارےکی،ناقابل معافی،تحقیقات ہوں,ذمہ دارسامنےلائےجائیں۔پریس کانفرنس دیکھکربہت دکھ،تکلیف ہوئی۔سینیٹر#AzamSwati کےساتھ کھڑاہوں،کیاسپریم کورٹ نوٹس لےگی pic.twitter.com/x1SJxi7tJn
— Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (@SenatorMushtaq) November 5, 2022
Javeria Siddique, the wife of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, also condemned the act.
یا اللہ
— Javeria Siddique (@javerias) November 5, 2022
انہیں غارت کردے نیست و نابود کردے جو لوگوں کو ننگا کرکے انکی ویڈیوز بنا رہے ہیں اور پھر بےشرمی سے پھیلا رہے ہیں
تو قہار ہے جبار ہے انصاف کر https://t.co/jFxXnL0GXH
“If what happened to Swati’s wife is true, my head hangs in shame that I belong to a country that has the audacity to call it’s self the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and can do this ….,” said scholar Huma Baqai.
if what happened to Mr. Swati’s wife is true , my head hangs in shame , that I belong to a country that has the audacity to call it’s self the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and can do this ….
— Huma Baqai (@_baqai) November 5, 2022
PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said they condemned Swati when he “tortured” a poor family and “ridiculed” PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz allegations that cameras were installed in her washroom. “But today one must condemn what has been done to Swati. One will. Criminals will face divine retribution,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.
When @AzamKhanSwatiPk tortured a poor Bajaur family we condemned him. When he ridiculed Maryam Nawaz allegations that cameras were installed in her washroom we condemned him. But today one must condemn what has been done to Swati. One will.Criminals will face divine retribution
— Farhatullah Babar (@FarhatullahB) November 5, 2022
PTI leader Qasim Khan Suri also condemned the incident saying that if those responsible are not punished today “than then any other politician or citizen will go through the same ordeal”.
بزرگ سینیٹر اعظم سواتی کے ساتھ جو کچھ ہوا ہے اگر زمہ داروں کو آج سزا نہیں دی گئی تو کل یہی کسی اور باعزت سیاستدان/شہری کے ساتھ ہو کر رہےگا، طاقت کے نشے میں لوگ جس تیزی سے ذہنی واخلاقی پستی کی جانب رواں دواں ہیں تاریخ اٹھاکر دیکھ لیں کہ قوموں پر عذاب الٰہی کیسے اور کیوں نازل ہوئے۔
— Qasim Khan Suri (@QasimKhanSuri) November 5, 2022
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