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Tag: FIA

  • ‘My wife was sobbing uncontrollably’: Azam Swati told Human Rights Cells of SC

    ‘My wife was sobbing uncontrollably’: Azam Swati told Human Rights Cells of SC

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati has submitted an application to the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court (SC), requesting to “safeguard sanctity, honour, privacy and respect of the Senator after the leak of him and his wife’s private recorded video.”

    In the petition, it is stated that the “applicant brought the honorable court’s attention towards this most inhuman and unethical incident.”

    Swati narrated the incident including details of how he got to know about the video when an unknown number sent the clip to his wife. He said that the “main part of the video is genuine and it was taken when the couple was staying in Quetta.”

    After watching the video, Swati said, “My wife called me after watching, remembering and confirming the details of the video. She was sobbing uncontrollably and was hardly able to utter any words.”

    Moreover, the senator named Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Assistant Director Ayaz, D.G, FIA, DGC Faisal Naseer and Brig. Fahim and others “who are involved in committing the heinous crime, violation of human rights, privacy and dignity of man.”

    He said that the people who were involved in his earlier custodial torture had sent this private video to his wife and son to blackmail him.

    ‘What happened to you is very tragic’: CJP Bandial to Azam Swati

    On November 8, during the hearing of PTI chief Imran Khan’s contempt of court case in SC, when Swati appeared before the court, Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial spoke to him that “What happened to you is very tragic”.

    The Chief Justice corrected Swati that he had never stayed in the rest house of the SC, to which Azam Swati replied, “Yes, you are right, I had stayed in Quetta Federal Lodge.”

    “Your case is ongoing in Human Rights Cell. The court is careful in this matter, the case will be seen according to the law,” said the CJP.

    Swati asked whether he can show the alleged video to anyone other than the judges. To this, the CJ directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to remove the alleged video of the senator To this, the PTI leader said that “The video that will be removed may not be the one that was sent to me”.

    The same day Swati said that he will show the recorded private video of him and his wife to the SC and will tell the court which clips of the video are fabricated and which are real.

    Talking to media outside of the apex court, Azam dismissed the FIA assessment of the video as being “fake and edited”.

    “Why did we [me and my wife] say that the recorded video is of Quetta,” the senator added.

    Moreover, the senator appealed to CJ for justice. He also urged the Chairman of the Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, to follow the constitution.

    Prior to this, Swati had alleged that the video was recorded when he and his wife had visited Quetta where he stayed at the Supreme Court Judicial Lodges. According to Swati, Chairman Sanjrani had arranged his stay. However, the SC issued a clarification stating that Senator Azam Swati “Never used/stayed in Supreme Court Judges Rest House at Quetta”, adding that according to the Balochistan Special Branch, Swati stayed at the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex Quetta), which is not under the SC’s control.

    Chairman Sanjrani had also issued a statement where he condemned the video and also said that he provided Swati and his wife with the best and safest accommodation as guests in Quetta.

    Pointing fingers towards FIA’s Assistant Director Ayaz Khan, the senator said General Headquarters (GHQ) should summon him [Ayaz] so that he can reveal the truth “that on whose orders he arrested me and raided my house.”

    Earlier, Chairman Sanjrani formed a 14-member special committee to probe the alleged “obscene video” of Swati.

    On November 5, Swati broke into tears during a press conference, alleging that he and his wife were secretly recorded in a room and he was informed about it by his daughter.

  • Visuals of an elderly man in anguish left us all shaken, wondering: are any of us safe?

    Visuals of an elderly man in anguish left us all shaken, wondering: are any of us safe?

    PTI Senator Azam Swati made some shocking revelations on Saturday when he broke down in front of the media while narrating how his wife was sent a private video of the couple by an unknown number. Swati said that his wife was not even able to tell him what had happened, and his daughter had to finally let him know what his wife could not. He said that after this incident, his wife, his daughter-in-law and his three granddaughters left the country.

    Swati alleged that the video was recorded when he and his wife had visited Quetta where he stayed at the Supreme Court Judicial Lodges. According to Swati, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani had arranged his stay. However, the Supreme Court (SC) issued a clarification on Sunday stating that Senator Azam Swati “never used/stayed in Supreme Court Judges Rest House at Quetta”, adding that according to the Balochistan Special Branch, Swati stayed at the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex Quetta), which is not under the SC’s control. Chairman Sanjrani had also issued a statement where he condemned the video and also said that he provided Swati and his wife with the best and safest accommodation as guests in Quetta.

    The visuals of an elderly Swati in tears left everyone shaken. After Swati’s press conference, there was widespread condemnation. PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted that he wants to apologise on behalf of Pakistan to Mrs Swati “for the pain, anguish and sense of humiliation she is having to suffer”. He requested Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to take suo motu notice of this harrowing incident. It was also encouraging to see that despite being in other political parties, PPP’s Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar condemned this violation of privacy in the strongest possible words, as did PPP’s Nadeem Afzal Chan, PML-N’s Miftah Ismail and Musadik Malik.


    However, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has termed the video circulating on the internet as “fake” and added that the agency has analysed the video forensically as per international forensic analysis standards and found it to be fake. In a press release, FIA stated: “Initial forensic analysis revealed that the video has been edited and different video clips have been joined with defaced faces. Further analysis revealed that faces have been swapped in the images using photoshop.” Some journalists have also alleged that Swati’s wife received a fake and edited video. Whether the video is fake or not needs to be investigated properly.

    Chairman Sanjrani formed a 14-member special to probe the alleged video. If the video is not fake, it is deeply disturbing that private videos of parliamentarians are being recorded to blackmail them.

    To violate someone’s privacy like this is disgusting and shameful to say the least. It is not as if there’s no history of recording private audios and videos in Pakistan. We are aware of how politicians, members of the judiciary, journalists, activists and many others have been blackmailed over the years due to ‘files’, ‘videos’, ‘audios’, etc. But recording a man and his wife is the lowest of the low that one can possibly imagine. But if the video turns out to be fake, it is equally worrying that at a time when emotions are high after the assassination attempt on Khan, someone sends a fake video to Swati’s wife, knowing fully well how distressing it will be for their family and lead to further political chaos. A high-level investigation must take place in order to ascertain the facts. It is important that the perpetrators must face the penalty for their horrendous act.

  • Rana Sanaullah denies PTI’s Swati’s claim of being tortured in custody by military officials

    Rana Sanaullah denies PTI’s Swati’s claim of being tortured in custody by military officials

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has dismissed claims made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and Senator, Azam Swati, that he had been subjected to custodial torture and stripping by two military officials.

    In a joint press conference today (Friday), Sanaullah along with Additional Director Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Ayaz Khan and Head of Cybercrime Waqaruddin Syed responded to Swati’s allegations.

    The minister said that the FIA did not hand Swati over to any other institutions and denied allegations of torture, alleging that Swati and PTI were instigating mischief. “It is important to put facts before the nation, as they lie brazenly,” the minister added.

    He also invited the additional director of FIA to present the “facts” behind the raid that was conducted to arrest Swati in October.

    Ayaz said that the First Information Report (FIR) which was registered against Swati was for “a cognisable offence” after obtaining “proper” search, seizure and arrest warrants.

    He clarified that Swati was not arrested in front of his grandchildren. He further said his team went to Swati’s house with the police and before entering the house they “properly introduced” themselves at the gate.

    Talking about PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations regarding the torture and stripping of his party members including Swati and Shahbaz 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.

    Earlier today, Swati alleged that “Major General Faisal” and “Sector Commander Fahim” were the “two culprits” behind his abuse and custodial torture. During the press conference, he also showed the alleged torture marks present on his hands.

    He also demanded that “the infamous ISI political wing be buried” as he was of the view that it is responsible for the “insult and notoriety” for the country.

    Earlier this month, Swati was arrested in a case registered against him over a controversial tweet thought to be against the armed forces. Since his arrest, Swati has alleged he was stripped and tortured while in custody.

  • FIA summons Shah Mahmood Qureshi to investigate Khan’s audio leaks about cipher

    FIA summons Shah Mahmood Qureshi to investigate Khan’s audio leaks about cipher

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has summoned former Foreign Minister (FM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on November 1, to inquire about the conversation held between him, party Chairman Imran Khan and others on the cipher sent from Washington DC.

    Imran Khan has blamed the cipher and its contents for the ouster of his government through a Vote of No Confidence ( VoNC).

    The notice addressed to Qureshi states that “An inquiry team has been constituted by FIA on the directions of the federal cabinet to inquire into the matter of conversation of former PM Imran Khan, his political associates and Khan’s former Secretary, available on internet regarding Cypher message received from Parep, Washington.”

    “You are directed to appear in person before the inquiry team to record your version/statement”, it added.

    On September 28, an audio clip leaked on the internet in which Khan allegedly directed his then-principal secretary Azam Khan to, “Play with it [cipher]”.

    A few days later another audio clip surfaced in which Khan, when he was the prime minister, was directing his close aides not to take America’s name while talking about the US cipher in public.

    Qureshi has been summoned to show up on November 1 (Tuesday) at 12pm.

    Former Foreign Secretary Sohail Mehmood was also summoned today (Friday) in this matter.

  • Azam Swati granted bail in case of controversial tweets

    Azam Swati granted bail in case of controversial tweets

    A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Friday granted post-arrest bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati in a case related to controversial tweets against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Special Judge Central, Raja Asif Mehmood, announced the verdict today which was reserved a day ago. The court directed Swati to deposit surety bonds worth Rs10,000.

    PTI senator Azam Swati was taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agenc’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing (CCW) from his home in Islamabad on October 13 after registering a case against him over the tweets.

    In his concluding arguments, Swati’s counsel Baber Awan said that his client had used the right of freedom of expression through his tweet.

    Swati was tortured and humiliated during the custody, Awan alleged.

    After listening to arguments, the court reserved the decision and adjourned the case till today.

    Swati had tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”

    Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

  • Azam Swati sent to jail on judicial remand for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    A local court in Islamabad on Monday has sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati to jail on judicial remand in a case involving “controversial tweets” against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    During the hearing, Swati’s lawyer Babar Awan told the court that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was praying for the recovery of the tweet sent by Swati. He also claimed before the court that the senator had an injury on one of his fingers and had a fracture as well.

    On the other hand, the prosecutor requested the court that a three-day physical remand of the senator be approved. But the court rejected the request and instead sent Swati to jail on judicial remand

    Azam Swati in custody: Court rejects FIA request, extends one-day physical remand instead of eight days

    A district and sessions court on Saturday extended the physical remand of Swati for one day. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had requested an eight-day extension.

    On October 13, Swati was arrested in the early hours of the morning for tweeting against General Bajwa. According to Swati, he was tortured by the investigation agency while in custody.

    Earlier in the day, when the hearing began, the Senator was presented in the court after a delay.

    During the hearing, FIA officials, along with their eight-day remand request, presented the record of Swati’s “controversial tweets” in the court.

    Giving the reason for the extension, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi said that the FIA has to recover the said Twitter account’s password. He also informed the court that Swati wasn’t cooperating in the interrogation.

    Moreover, he said: “The said tweet is not the only tweet as Azam Swati has posted such tweets earlier as well.” He added that the FIA has records of the planned tweets from Swati’s official account.

    PTI’s lawyer Babar Awan also presented arguments, maintaining that the defence admits that Swati did post the tweet in question but there was legal cover.

    Awan said that he had told the senator to not say anything now. “If you want to check anything, check his [Swati’s] wounds,” he added.

  • PTI Senator Azam Swati arrested for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    PTI Senator Azam Swati arrested for tweeting against Gen Bajwa

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning for tweeting against Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

    Swati tweeted, “Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country. With these thugs getting free, you have legitimised corruption. How you predict now the future of this country (sic).”

    Speaking to reporters outside a sessions court later in the day, Swati said that he was arrested for “taking one name — of Bajwa — and that is the violation”.

    When asked who arrested him, he said it was the FIA. When pressed about the case, he alleged he was tortured by “agencies”. “A parliamentarian has been unclothed,” he said. “I am telling the nation.”

    Swati’s tweet came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were acquitted in a high-profile money laundering case yesterday.

    The first information report registered at the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad, mentions that Swati tweeted with “Malafide intentions & ulterior motives” against “State Institutes of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its Senior Government Functionaries including Chief of The Army Staff of Pakistan Army”, reports Dawn.

    The FIR adds that such “Intimidating tweet/s of blaming and naming through Twitter account i.e., @AzamKhanSwatiPK, is a mischievous act of subversion to create a rift between personnel/s of The Armed Forces and an attempt to harm the State of Pakistan”.

    Through the aforementioned tweet, the criminal complaint says, the accused “undermined the Judicial System of the country and also attempted to seduce Army Personnel/s from their allegiance to their duties as subordinates.

    “This is calculated attempt to create hatred in the mind of people and Army Personnel/s against COAS and Pakistan Army and also created distrust towards Judicial System. In such intimidating Tweet/s, the accused Muhammad Azam Khan Swati has attempted to provoke general public and Personnel/s of Armed Forces by trying to create a feeling of ill-will among pillars of the State,” it said.

    It alleges Swati violated privacy and intimidated state institutions, by using false information, “Which is likely to incite, any officer, soldier, sailor, or Airman in the Army, Navy or Air Force of Pakistan to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such and is also likely to cause fear or alarm in the public and may induce / incite anyone to commit an offence against the State or the State Institution/s or public tranquillity”.

  • PM Shehbaz, Hamza acquitted in money laundering case

    PM Shehbaz, Hamza acquitted in money laundering case

    A special court in Lahore on Wednesday acquitted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, in a Rs. 16 billion money laundering case.

    During Tuesday’s hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that no direct transaction had been made in the bank accounts of PM Shehbaz and his son from benami accounts [hidden accounts].

    Reacting to the verdict, the PM thanked the Almighty for this day in a tweet. “Despite the worst practices, use of state force and holding institutions hostage, we stand successfully before the court, the law and the people,” he wrote.

    In the previous hearing, Special Court Judge Ejaz Awan asked about the number of bank accounts owned by the Malik Maqsood — also known as Maqsood Chaprasi.

    FIA prosecutor Farooq Bajwa responded that the late Maqsood had eight bank accounts to his name.

    The prosecutor further stated that no money was either directly deposited or withdrawn from the accounts of the suspects, including Shehbaz and Hamza.

    The judge asked what evidence was there to substantiate that the entire money dealing was being done at Hamza’s behest. In response, FIA’s prosecutor said the agency does not have “any evidence” linking him to money laundering.

    FIA had booked Shehbaz and his two sons, Hamza and Suleman, in November 2020 under Sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, read with Section 3/4 of Anti-Money Laundering Act.

    The FIA had in December 2021 submitted the challan against Shehbaz and Hamza to a special court for their alleged involvement in laundering an amount of Rs16bn in the sugar scam case.

    “The investigation team has detected 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family through which money laundering of Rs16.3bn was committed during 2008-18. The FIA examined the money trail of 17,000 credit transactions,” said an FIA report submitted to the court.

    The amount was kept in “hidden accounts” and given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity, the report added.

  • Court grants protective bail to Imran Khan after FIA booked him in prohibited funding case

    Court grants protective bail to Imran Khan after FIA booked him in prohibited funding case

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted protective bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday after Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had booked him in a prohibited funding case.

    The bail petition, submitted by Imran’s lawyer Salman Safdar, stated that FIA ​​registered a case under the Foreign Exchange Act and that the court should grant protective bail so that Imran could appear in court.

    According to the high court’s orders, Imran was granted bail until October 18 for a bond of Rs5,000. The IHC also barred the FIA from arresting him.

    Khan also appeared before the court after IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah summoned him. The PTI chief was brought in amid tight security.

    Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar informed the court that they fear that Imran Khan would be arrested in the new prohibited funding case.

    Upon this, the court barred the Islamabad administration from “harassing” Khan.

    “Imran Khan shouldn’t be arrested until he appears in court”, IHC remarked.

    After granting bail, the court adjourned the case till Tuesday.

    A day earlier, FIA booked Khan and other PTI leaders in a case pertaining to their party allegedly receiving prohibited funding.

  • FIA books Imran Khan and others in ‘prohibited funding’ case

    FIA books Imran Khan and others in ‘prohibited funding’ case

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has booked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders in a case pertaining to their party allegedly receiving prohibited funding.

    The case was filed by the state through FIA’s Corporate Banking Circle in Islamabad.

    In the First Information Report (FIR), the federal agency alleged that Abraaj Group transferred $2,100,000 to PTI account. In addition, the FIR states that the party received more financing from two bank accounts of Wotan Cricket Club.

    The complaint named Imran Khan, Sardar Azhar Tariq Khan, Saifullah Khan Nyazee, Syed Yunus Ali Raza, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Tariq Rahim Sheikh, Tariq Shafi, Faisal Maqbool Shaikh, Hamid Zaman and Manzoor Ahmad Chaudhary as signatories/beneficiaries of the PTI account in question.

    The FIR alleged the branch’s operations manager had also failed to report these illegal transactions to the concerned authorities.

    In August, the ECP issued its verdict in the prohibited funding case — previously referred to as the foreign funding case — against the PTI, which stated that the party did indeed receive prohibited funding.

    The ECP said that the party, in violation of the Constitution, had received funds from 34 foreign entities. The party received funds from the United States, Australia, and the UAE. The ECP added that 13 unidentified accounts also surfaced during the probe in the PTI funding case.