ISLAMABAD – Senator Azam Swati, a member of the upper house of the Pakistani parliament, broke into tears at a live press conference while narrating how the country’s intelligence agencies picked him from his house, stripped him naked, filmed him and then sent his fake and inappropriate video to his daughter.
Narrating his harrowing experience to media persons in the federal capital, Swati said his daughter called him from the United States and told him that she had received an inappropriate video from an unknown number featuring him and his wife. He said he was a religious person and a faithful husband and the intelligence personnel who picked him from his house did this to him.
Swati’s press conference drew immediate reaction from various quarters.
Former prime minister Imran Khan, who is also chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party Swati belongs to, took to Twitter to express his feeling about what was done to the lawmaker. He wrote, “I want to apologise on behalf of Pakistan to Mrs Swati, a very private, non public, tahajut guzaar lady for the pain, anguish and sense of humiliation she is having to suffer.”
He said, “Pakistan was created on Islamic moral values of human dignity, honour of the family & inviolability of chadar & chardawari. What has happened to Azam Swati at the hands of the State has been a blatant violation of all these values – from being stripped naked to custodial torture & now this video where privacy of his wife has been violated. It is both shocking, despicable & utterly condemnable. No human being should have to suffer this. I call on the CJP to take suo moto notice of this.”
I want to apologise on behalf of Pakistan to Mrs Swati, a very private, non public, tahajut guzaar lady for the pain, anguish and sense of humiliation she is having to suffer.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 5, 2022
Fellow Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who is a lawyer by profession and belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), too took to Twitter to express his anger at what the intelligence agencies did to Swati. He said, “This clip of Azam Swati is a slap on the face of the Senate chairman and the entire parliament. I had never thought our intelligence agencies will become shameless to this extent and tear apart our religious and social ethics. Self-respect of no one is safe. May these people face God’s curse.”
اعظم سواتی صاحب کا یہ کلپ چیئرمین سینیٹ اور تمام پارلیمان کے منہ پر طمانچہ ہے۔ کبھی سوچا بھی نہ تھا کہ ہماری انٹیلیجنس والے اس حد تک بے غیرت ہو جائیں گے اور ہماری دینی، معاشرتی اخلاقیات کی اس طرح دھجیاں بکھیر دیں گے۔ کسی کی عزت نفس محفوظ نہیں۔خدا کی لعنت ہو ان لوگوں پر۔ pic.twitter.com/chxCcHuFJS
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@mustafa_nawazk) November 5, 2022
Just got a call from a Brig from ISI that they’ve got nothing to do with the video & it was prepared on dark web. Told him to convince senator swati, not me. I stand by my colleague the way army stood by Maj Gen faisal Naseer. 1/2
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@mustafa_nawazk) November 5, 2022
Also reminded him that I was the one who discovered cameras in senate elections when sanctity of house was violated. So know how it works. If still perturbed they are more than welcome to file an fir on me. Period.
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@mustafa_nawazk) November 5, 2022
Here is more reaction from some political and social figures.
Today is probably the saddest & most heartbreaking day we’ve witnessed in Pakistan’s history.
A day that will remain dark forever.What Senator #AzamSwati & his family have been put through is more than heartbreaking.
How could anyone videotape a woman we should be respecting?— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) November 5, 2022
How Senator Khokar is standing by #AzamSwati is appreciated.
I wonder if @AuratMarch and other womens/human rights defenders will stand by Mrs. Swati sahiba? https://t.co/rgRsyDVlCh
— Cynthia D. Ritchie (@CynthiaDRitchie) November 5, 2022
There are no words to express the shame, hurt and anger. Mr. Swati… your tears will not fall in vain. Allah will suffice you and the entire Pakistani nation stands with you #AzamSwati
— Annie Khalid (@annie_khalid) November 5, 2022