Shock and outrage over Swati's revelation

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 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”.

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”.

“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.

“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”.

“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.

Party leader Hammad Azhar said that Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani should not only resign but “drown in and die of shame”.

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.

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.

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”.

“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”.

Journalist Mazhar Abbas said that “Senator Azam Swati's video statement should be an eye opener for every democratic and rights activist”.

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”.

“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”.

“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.”

Javeria Siddique, the wife of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, also condemned the act.

“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.

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.

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”.