During a media conference on Saturday, Senator Azam Swati to broke down in tears as he said his wife received an intimate video featuring him and her. That he wasn’t allowed to discuss with the women in his country.
After being arrested on October 13 in relation to a controversial tweet, Swati is currently on bail and claims he has been tortured in custody.
At today’s press conference, Swati mentioned an earlier media interview, in which he said he had committed no corruption nor had anyone, including “powerful circles”, filmed him in any “immoral videos”.
I was completely wrong,’ he told me while he accused elements of the establishment of putting him through such a traumatic experience.
A meeting between Swati and his wife took place around 9 pm last night in Islamabad, he told the media. According to him, she kept shouting and crying, so he had to ask his daughter to speak to his wife and find out what was going on.
In reply to her insistence, he brought to her attention that someone had sent her a video from an unknown number of him. I am unable to say anything further because the daughters and granddaughters of my country are listening.”
The senator went on to say that his daughter, while crying, revealed to him that the video also featured his wife.
Azam Swati to broke down into tears
It is impossible for this to be possible, the senator replied, breaking into tears as she asked how it could be possible. His daughter also told him that the video was from the time that Swati and his wife had visited Quetta when Swati and his wife were in the country.
He recalled his visit to the Supreme Court’s judicial lodges in Quetta, and noted that Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani, who respected his wife, had made arrangements for them to stay at the Supreme Court’s judicial lodges during their visit. During that trip to the Senate, you (Sanjrani) set up a protection system for your aunt (Swati’s wife) and an elder senator. I told by you that I would have to stay there since there were no Supreme Court judges in Quetta at that time.
Again, Swati was overcome with emotion and lamented that his wife had force to leave the country for a “safe place”. In his lament, he also expressed his disappointment that his granddaughters were also “force to leave the country with trauma and scars”.
In Pakistan, can a husband and wife’s sanctity be violate? ” he enquired.
Swati shared his account of what he allegedly went through for the second time, describing his “custodial torture” in November.
Imran urges the CJP to take action suo motu
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
Following the press conference today, Imran Khan tweeted the following statement announcing Pakistan’s formation. Based on Muslim moral values of human dignity, honor for the family, and the inviolability of the chadar and chardawari. “The principles upon which Pakistan was founded include human dignity. Honor for the family, and inviolability of the chadar and chardawari.”
From stripping Azam Swati to beating her, the state has flagrantly violated all of these values.
I find this act to be not only shocking, but also despicable. And as a result, I find it to be utterly condemnable as well. He do not believe that any human being should ever have to go through something like this. I would like to draw the attention of the CJP (chief justice of Pakistan) to this issue.”
He said, I wish to apologize on behalf of Pakistan to Mrs Swati, a very private, non-public, tahajud guzaar lady who is suffering from pain, anguish, and humiliation.”
Video of Swati ‘false, edited with deep fake tools’: FIA
Swati’s press conference followed by a news release from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claiming that the “obscene” video was “forensically analyze” and “found to be fake”.
Video/audio and frame-by-frame forensic analysis of the viral videoconducted in accordance with International Forensic Analysis standards. Initial forensic analysis revealed that video clips had edit and defaced faces had added to the video clips.
As a result of further analysis, faces have swapped in the images using Photoshop. A proper investigation should be conduct after the senator’s press conference in which he outlined his concerns. Azam Khan Swati is request to lodge a complaint with FIA and share his concerns about its authenticity.”
There is no doubt in my mind that this video is a fake, edited with deep fake tools in order to create misunderstandings and defame Senator Feinstein,” the statement said.
Interior ministry to take notice
During a press conference in Lahore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the issue and ordered the interior ministry to take action.
Assuring that the facts in this matter would be brough to light, he said that he would.
A parliamentary committee will be form to examine Swati’s leaked video issue and then compile a report, Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani announced.
In a statement he make, he explain that the parliamentary committee would be make up of members from all political parties in the Senate.
In his remarks, he said the committee would prepare the report and present it to the Upper House.
Video leaks of the Senate meeting described as “shocking” by the Senate chairman.
Sanjrani described Senator Azam Swati as his elder brother, and he has family relationships with him.
All sides condemn the incident
I have never felt the urge to retweet Imran Khan but here I have to agree with him. The video of Begum Azam Swati is clearly beyond the pale. I feel ashamed that an honourable woman can be so humiliated in my country. This madness must stop. https://t.co/h9YLJVxjQD
— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) November 5, 2022
Khokhar shared a clip from Swati’s press conference, describing it as a “slap to the face of the Senate chairperson and the entire legislature”.
Journalist Mazhar Abbas said Swati’s video statement should be an eye opener for every democracy and human rights activist. [I wonder] why someone like Senator Pervez Rasheed is silent since he himself has been humiliated. There is no way this is acceptable”.
Khurram Dastgir, State Minister for Power, said he shared Swati’s anguish and urged the Ministry of Interior to “investigate gross invasions of privacy, inform people of the facts and penalize those responsible”.
During a press conference, PTI leader Maleeka Bokhari asked, “Can the guardians of fundamental rights – the honorable chief justice and other judges silently ignore abuse, torture, and assassination attempts of members of Pakistan’s most powerful party? ”
“The Chief Justice is no longer able to exercise the suo motu powers that he once had,” she explained.
As part of the condemnation of Swati’s account, PML-N’s Miftah Ismail also joined the chorus.
I’ve never retweeted Imran Khan, but here I can’t resist.”, he wrote in response to a tweet by Imran. It’s beyond reproach, the video of Begum Azam Swati.
My country should be ashamed that such a well-deserving woman can be treat in such a humiliating manner. We need to put an end to this madness as soon as possible.”
Shocking crossing of the Red Line
In a phone call, Mushahid Hussain Sayed expressed solidarity with him and his family regarding the “shocking crossing of the Red Line” and the degrading of every basic morality and decency.
The Jamaat-i-Islami Senate chaiman is urge to form a parliamentary committee design to investigate all parties, according to Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan.
In a separate development, Hammad Azhar, a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, demanded Sadiq Sanjrani’s resignation.
In contrast, Fawad Chaudhry, another leader of the party, described the entire situation as “tragic”.
According to Swati, there are hide cameras in the Supreme Court’s guesthouses, and private videos have record in the PM’s office and among the appellate judges.
In spite of the tragic circumstances, he regretted that it had come to this.
Shafqat Mahmood, the former education minister, said that he shocked at the release of the ‘terrible video’.
I don’t really know what to say to express how tragic it is. There are many people who have sunk to such low depths that they have no idea.
Sabzwari said he was deeply sorry for the pain Swati and his family were going through, and urged Sharif to “order an investigation at the highest level.”
Heartbreaking press conference of Swati’s
Swati’s press conference described by journalist Hasan Zaidi as “heartbreaking,” and he condemned the alleged filming of him and his wife.
No matter what one thinks about his politics, this can only be condemn strongly. There is nothing ethical or moral about this, he said, “it is completely beyond any meaning of the word”.
The journalist Zarrar Khuhro told the AFP that he had no reason to doubt Swati’s account and described the alleged incident as “shameful, disgusting, and inexcusable”.
According to him, this situation is worthy of a suo moto ruling by the Supreme Court, which should require an investigation into this atrocious act as quickly as possible.
In addition to calling for a high-level inquiry to be conducted into the matter, Asad Ali Toor said that “whatever the affiliations of the perpetrators are, they should not be spared” from punishment.
In my opinion, making videos and blackmailing people are unacceptable and should not be tolerated. I would like to encourage you to keep your chin up, Azam Swati. Thank you for entrusting us with your future.”
[…] Swati, a senator for the PTI, sobbed in front of the media on Saturday. He said that his wife had received a video featuring them both. Moreover, he denied saying anything […]