PTI Senator Azam Swati burst into tears before the media on Saturday, saying that his wife had received a video featuring him and her and about which he could not share further details because the “daughters of my country are listening.
“I feel ashamed that an honourable woman can be so humiliated in my country. This madness must stop.”
PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said he had called his “friend and colleague” to express solidarity with him and his family on the “disgraceful degradation of all basic norms of morality and decency, unacceptable invasion of privacy and shocking crossing of ‘Red Line’”.
Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan penned letter to the Senate chaiman, demanding the formation of a parliamentary committee comprising all political parties for investigation.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar, meanwhile, demanded the resignation of Senate chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani.
Another leader from the party, Fawad Chaudhry termed the entire situation “tragic”.
He noted that Swati’s account showed that the “guesthouses of the Supreme Court are completely covered by hidden cameras” and private videos were recorded at the Prime Minister’s Office as well as of SC judges.
“This is a tragic situation,” he regretted.
Former education minister Shafqat Mahmood said he was “shocked” at the release of the “terrible video”.
“No words really to express how tragic it is. What low depths have people sunk to.”
MQM-P’s Faisal Sabzwari said he was extremely sorry for the pain Swati and his family was going through and urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to “order highest level inquiry on the accusations”.
Journalist Hasan Zaidi termed Swati’s press conference “heart wrenching” and condemned the alleged filming of him and his wife.
“Whatever one may think about his politics, this can only be condemned in the strongest possible way. This is completely beyond the pale of all ethics and morality,” he said.
Journalist Zarrar Khuhro said he had no reason to doubt Swati’s account and termed the alleged incident “shameful and disgusting to the extreme”.
He said it “merits a suo moto by the Supreme Court which should direct the investigation into this atrocious act as soon as it can”.
Journalist Asad Ali Toor also called for a high-level inquiry into the matter and said the “culprits must not be spared whatever will be their affiliations.
“This is unacceptable of making videos and blackmailing. Stay strong Azam Swati. We stand by you.”
No comment