LAHORE: Former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has revealed that Senator Azam Swati’s son expressed fear his father would be killed in a police encounter.
Addressing a presser on Monday at Lahore’s Zaman Park, the former federal minister said party Chairman Imran Khan had received a phone call from Azam Swati’s son during PTI leaders’ meeting today.
“The Senator’s son urged to stop his father from appearing before court tomorrow, as he had received death threats,” he said, criticizing the arrest of Azam Swati over controversial tweets.
Moreover, the former federal minister blasted officials for “arresting or killing” people for raising their voices. He stated that everyone who raises their voice will either be detained or killed, using the Kenyan murder of Arshad Sharif as an example.
Fawad Chaudhry declared that protests would be held in opposition to the PTI Senator’s arrest and vowed that his party would not submit to “cruelty.”
He also criticized judiciary, saying that a Senator was stripped naked and tortured; Swati’s video was sent to his children; Senators protested for 10 days, but no notice was taken by Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC).
Earlier, Former Prime Minister Imran Khan questioned the applicability of Article 14 of the Constitution — which refers to the “Inviolability of dignity of man” — condemning the alleged mental and physical abuse of Senator Azam Swati, saying whether the article is only for the powerful people of the country.
The former prime minister in a series of tweets addressed the Supreme Court, asking if the clause only applied to the State’s powerful.
In his tweet today, the PTI chief asked the top court whether Article 14 was only applicable to “the powerful of the State and for everyone else, there was “no protection of their basic human dignity”.
“Swati was stripped naked, tortured, and humiliated through an objectionable video sent to his wife. For weeks he has sought justice from the SC to no avail and upon expressing his anger and frustration he was put in jail,” Imran said, adding that at least 15 FIRs were registered against the senator from across Pakistan.
Addressing the judges again, he repeated his question: “Is the Article 14 Constitutional provision only to be applied selectively for the high and mighty state functionaries?”
Meanwhile, PTI leader Senator Azam Khan approached the Islamabad High Court fearing that he could be killed in the custody, asking the IHC to stop police from transferring him to any other place.
In a petition, Swati claimed that he was the subject of an investigation by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The senator said in his plea that he had experienced the harshest torture while detained. He claimed to have knowledge that he might be killed while in captivity.
“Azam Swati can be subjected to any sort of inhuman treatment,” read the petition, seeking the details of the cases registered against him.
The PTI leader in his petition stated that basic human rights should be ensured in his matter.
The appeal demanded that Swati not be relocated, noting that cases had been brought against the senator in Sindh.
The appeal added the federal government, the FIA, and the inspector generals of Sindh and Balochistan as parties.
