Dasti accuses LEAs of harrowing abuse against family

Former MNA and PTI leader Jamshed Dasti on Monday levied startling accusations against Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials and "secret agencies", alleging a disturbing incident where law enforcers allegedly stormed his house, stripping his wife naked.

In a video posted on the social media platform ‘X’, a visibly shaken Dasti recounted a harrowing episode of the alleged ordeal suffered by him and his family during a midnight raid by the CTD and what he termed "secret agencies."

The incident reportedly took place at his residence in Muzaffargarh, where Dasti claims law enforcement personnel assaulted his wife, forcibly stripped her, and subjected both her and their children to violence.

Dasti, who currently faces a case with the Muzaffargarh Saddar police and has evaded multiple arrest attempts, appealed directly to the Chief Justice of Pakistan in the footage, lamenting the “loss of his honour” and expressing a readiness to face any consequence, even death.

A member of the PTI previously led by former prime minister Imran Khan, Dasti's wife had recently filed nomination papers for his candidacy in the upcoming elections while he remained in hiding.

“Unbelievable cruelty has been committed against me. The only sin that I’ve committed is support Imran Khan,” he lamented, telling the CJP that “my mind isn’t functioning anymore [...] they are torturing me just because I will run in elections. I am ready to die, chief justice sahib”.

"My dignity has been violated. I never imagined that someone like me... would be subjected to such cruelty," he said.

However, Muzaffargarh's Station House Officer (SHO), Khurram Riaz, countered Dasti's allegations in a video statement, dismissing them as "groundless" and mere "fabrications."

"The alleged raid on Jamshed Dasti's residence did not occur, and there was no mistreatment of his family," the police officer said, pointing out that since over 40 registered cases against Dasti, the allegations were the latter’s attempt to depict a misleading narrative.

Riaz further mentioned that Dasti's actions aimed to instigate "fear and disorder" within his community.