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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday criticised the government after senator Azam Swati was taken into custody for the second time early Sunday morning after a raid at his farmhouse by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing Islamabad team for allegedly tweeting against senior military officials.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan in a tweet said he was "shocked and appalled at how rapidly we are descending into not just a banana republic but a fascist state".
I am shocked & appalled at how rapidly we are descending into not just a banana republic but a fascist state. How can anyone not understand the pain & suffering Senator Swati underwent with custodial torture & blackmailing video of him & his conservative wife sent to his family?
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 27, 2022
Lamenting the state's heavy-handedness, the former prime minister questioned how could "anyone not understand the pain and suffering Senator Swati underwent with custodial torture and the blackmailing video of him and his conservative wife [that was] sent to his family".
Read Swati skips Senate panel probing video leak
Imran deemed the tweet reportedly triggering the arrest an expression of Swati's "justifiable anger and frustration at the injustice meted out to him".
His justifiable anger & frustration at the injustice meted out to him especially the doors of SC remaining closed to him despite over a fortnight of appeals by Senators in support of him. So he tweets & is arrested again. Everyone must raise their voice against this state fascism
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 27, 2022
Urging all quarters to "raise their voice against this state fascism", Imran also went on to criticise the Supreme Court for "keeping its doors closed" for Swati "despite over a fortnight of appeals by Senators" supporting him.
PTI General Secretary Asad Umar also tweeted about the incident and praised the "dignified manner in which Azam Swati conducted himself as he was arrested today" which Umar deemed to be indicative that "he is fighting for a principle”.
The dignified manner in which azam swati conducted himself as he was arrested today shows he is fighting for a principle. You can disagree with his choice of words or even his views, but you cannot disagree with him that whatever happens must do so within ambit of law.
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 27, 2022
The former human rights minister and senior PTI leader Shireen Mazari maintained that Swati had only "asked some questions and spoke about what happened to him and his family".
Read More Swati moves SC human rights cell against privacy breach
"Is that a crime?" she asked.
Senator Azam Swati arrested again by FIA after he spoke at our Azadi March where he asked some questions & spoke abt what hapened to him & his family. Is that a crime? Did the pussilanimous Senate Chairman again give his approval for this arrest? Fascism. #ReleaseAzamSwati pic.twitter.com/MMBWqvWm13
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 27, 2022
"It seems freedom of speech in Pakistan today is reserved for the powerful state," she added, "for the rest, including parliamentarians, this right is denied".
Seems freedom of speech in Pak today is reserved for the powerful State be it in a press conference, a public address, a press statement or on social media. For the rest, including parliamentarians, this right is denied. @dswpti #ReleaseAzamSwati
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 27, 2022
In a series of tweets, Mazari also claimed that a second FIR had also been registered against the Senator in Quetta, lamenting that "asking questions is forbidden now".
A second FIR cut against Azam Swati - this time in Quetta and for his speech at Azadi March yesterday. Asking questions is forbidden also now. #ReleaseAzamSwati https://t.co/tIy7Mt8QW1
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 27, 2022
"Swati suffered custodial torture after being stripped naked," she added saying that he was blackmailed and denied justice for over two weeks "so in angry frustration he used intemperate words in tweets and is arrested".
Senator Swati suffered custodial torture after being stripped naked; a video of his wife & him was sent to his family as blackmail; he has been knocking at SC door for over 2 weeks to seek justice. So in angry frustration he uses intemperate words in tweets & is arrested.Fascism
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 27, 2022
Senior party leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi also chimed in saying that he "absolutely condemned the re-arrest" of Swati.
Absolutely condemn the re-arrest of Senator Azam Swati. Is this the way Pakistan’s citizens will be treated for demanding fundamental democratic rights? Was custodial torture, blackmail and a complete denial of his right to dignity not sufficient for this fascist govt? #AzamSwati
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) November 27, 2022
Fellow Senator Ejaz Chaudhry demanded justice for Swati as he questioned "what was his crime? That he spoke the truth?".
سینیٹراعظم سواتی کو ایف آئی اے نے دوبارہ گرفتار کرلیا گیا ہے
— Senator Ejaz Chaudhary (@EjazChaudhary) November 27, 2022
اُس کا قصور کیا ہے سچ بولنا؟
سچ تو سچ ہے!
چمن میں تلخ نوائی میری گوارا کر
کبھی تو زہر بھی کرتاہے کار تر یاقی
اعظم سواتی کو انصاف دو@ImranKhanPTI @PTIofficial @AzamKhanSwatiPk
Former Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan also pointed how the contrast between how swiftly the state acted on "his speech but the law could not come into action against the injustice done to him, the desecration of his home and the humiliation that he was made to suffer".
اپنے پر لگے الزامات کا تو @AzamKhanSwatiPk عدالت میں جواب دیں گے اور ان کے وکلاء ان کے آئینی حقوق کا تحفظ کریںنگے لیکن ان کی تقریر پہ جس تیزی سے ان کو گرفتار کیا گیا ان پہ کئیے گئے ظلم ان کے گھر کی بے حُرمتی اور تذلیل پہ قانون حرکت میں نہیں آیا۔
— Ali Muhammad Khan (@Ali_MuhammadPTI) November 27, 2022
کیایہ انصاف کادوہرا معیار نہیں ؟
"Is this not a double standard of justice?" the PTI leader questioned.
Also Read PTI options: Has Imran got it right or is he making a mistake?
Journalist Moeed Pirzada termed the incident "Pakistan's Dark Age".
Pakistan's Dark Age! An octogenarian Senator of Pakistan was arrested, beaten, stripped naked & videos made of private moments of him & his wife - for a tweet against Gen. Bajwa. And when after this ordeal he came out protesting & demanding justice he has been arrested again. https://t.co/pQQWVLPyqw
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) November 27, 2022
It may be noted that an FIR against Swati was registered by the cybercrime wing on November 26, a copy of which is available with the Express Tribune, over 'controversial' tweets made recently allegedly against government functionaries, including the chief of the army staff (COAS).
The report maintained that the PTI leader started a "highly obnoxious campaign of intimidating tweets" against state institutions, including the army chief "with malafide intentions and ulterior motives".
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