ISLAMABAD: Almost two weeks after arrest and alleged custodial torture for posting a tweet against COAS, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati on Friday blew the lid off “identity” of who had allegedly assaulted him in custody and offered a peek into the power corridor practices by some of the country’s most powerful institutions.
Addressing a news conference here, the PTI senator reiterated that he had been stripped naked and beaten up while in custody.
“I was beaten up in front of my innocent granddaughters and that trauma will stay with them forever.” He took the names of two senior officers, claiming that they were involved in beating him up. Swati went on to demand that two senior officers should be removed from their posts immediately for torturing a senior parliamentarian.
Claiming that his pleas were ignored and trivialized, adding that the doctors who examined him should be asked at whose behest torture marks on his body were ignored.
“How did they not see this violence even after 15 days and how did I continue to be handed over to them on physical remand?”
Swati stated that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), who had arrested him, will have to answer at whose behest an FIR was lodged against him. He also asked who were the unidentified people to whom he was handed over?
Calling on the Chief Justice of Pakistan, he said that he had taken his case to the Supreme Court along with his fellow senators and journalists and provided evidence; further saying that he was waiting for justice as any ordinary Pakistani.
He demanded the CJP provide him with justice as a basic right should be made available.
Azam Swati said that he has high hopes that the court will investigate the illegal behavior of the authorities against him, including custodial torture.
Citing the preamble of the constitution, he said that true authority lies with Allah and then the people of Pakistan who will use that right. He said that no military officer can use that authority.
Earlier at the start of the press conference, he said that he would not speak to recent political issues, including the press conference by the director generals of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and Public Relations (ISPR) where they stated the army would not have any role in politics.
Maintaining that he did not wish to malign the military rather provide constructive criticism on what needs to be corrected, he stated that security institutions should not have a political role and all such practices which used to be carried out, must be left in the past.
Swati’s allegations ‘defaming’ state institutions
Responding to PTI senior leader and Senator Azam Swati’s allegations against state institutions over his arrest, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah criticised him for “defaming” them.
The senator’s accusations were categorically rejected by the interior minister who said that the FIA did not hand him over to any other institutions and denied allegations of torture, alleging Swati and PTI of instigating mischief.
“Imrani fitna’s characters have adopted the agenda of chaos to create riots and anarchy in the country,” he told journalists during a press conference, adding that they have been targeting the officers of the institutions for the past few days.
Commenting on the PTI leader’s custody by the agency, he said: “Azam Swati was in FIA’s custody. He was neither handed over to anyone else nor did anyone ask [for him to be handed over]. The case against him was filed by the FIA over a highly-objectionable tweet.”
“It is important to put facts before the nation, as they lie brazenly,” the minister said.
Sanaullah, flanked by FIA’s Deputy Director of Cybercrimes wing Ayaz Khan, added that the accusations are being made without any inquiry and without any application.
Speaking on journalist Chaudhry Ghulam Hussain’s arrest by the FIA, the interior minister said that he was not familiar with his matter and assured against any kind of abuse on him.
The interior minister said, “His useless talk does not even come within the ambit of the Constitution and ethics. He neither cares about his own respect nor that of others,” he said.
Sanaullah maintained that Swati committed “contempt of two institutions” in his Tweet, adding that the PTI leadership was “just hurling allegations and propagating [false information] against state institutions.”
Talking about PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations regarding the torture and stripping of his party members including Swati and Shehbaz Gill, Sanaullah said that he doesn’t understand why Khan keeps repeating the same narrative.
“Imran Khan has adopted an anti-national agenda and instigates propaganda. He wants to take the country toward chaos and anarchy. His propaganda will be countered at all levels,” the minister said, adding that Khan considers him as a hurdle even though he hasn’t done anything to him.
The post Senator Swati demands removal of military officials over his ‘custodial torture’ appeared first on Pakistan Today.
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