Marwat says evidence of ‘killer contract’ given to FIA

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday in the inquiry into his allegations against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in his tweet on the social media platform of X.

The FIA Cyber Crime Cell Islamabad started an inquiry against Marwat, who is a member of the National Assembly (MNA), on the request of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Aqeel Malik, for uploading the controversial tweet and video regarding allegations against Chief Minister Maryam.

Marwat reached the Cyber Crime Cell office in Islamabad at the given time and appeared before Additional Director Ayaz Khan and Inquiry Officer Sub-Inspector Waseem Khan. He said he answered their questions for two hours.

Talking to the media later, Marwat said that he came in response to an FIA notice and answered their questions. He explained that he received evidence that a person who escaped from Pakistan, and had been in Dubai for 15 years, was contacted by some Indians to target him [Marwat].

According to the contract killers, Marwat alleged, they came on behalf of Maryam Nawaz. Marwat added that there were audio messages of the same contract killers that the Indians had made the payment of $100,000.

Marwat continued that the audio messages were there, besides the audio messages of the person, through whom that evidence reached him were also there, which had been shared them with the FIA.

“This information came to my knowledge through our MNA Naseem Ali Shah,” he said.

He further said that this was conveyed to Shah by some people of his constituency. Therefore, he added, he had asked the FIA to examine the MNA and then that person, who originally received the message from Dubai, whom he alleged was a relative of the contract killer.

Marwat said that the messages were in both Urdu and Pashto languages. He added that he asked the FIA to listen to those messages and check the criminal background of the person, who was sending the messages.

He said that he had given an application to the FIA that if he was right then a first information report (FIR) be registered against Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Because if anything happened to him, then “these two persons will be responsible”, he added.

Marwat alleged that his party’s mandate in the February 8 election was stolen and the PML-N came to power. It was for the first time that the Punjab had said “no” to the establishment and Punjab gave a “two-thirds mandate” to the PTI, he claimed.

He alleged that the PTI was facing great hardships, but stressed he would not bow down. The people had voted for the PTI, he said, adding that if a tendency of murders was introduced, then the entire politics would be in danger.

Responding to a question, Marwat alleged that institutions were not independent in the country. He added that the FIA was working under Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, so when a PTI leader filed an application against Maryam Nawaz, would “he get justice?”

Marwat said that he would fully cooperate in the investigation. He thanked MNA Aqeel Malik for seeking inquiry into his tweet, which he said, led to the FIA inquiry. He said that the FIA had asked him for the phone numbers of some people during the inquiry, which he had provided to the investigators.