PTI leader and former federal minister Senator Azam Swati on Monday moved to Islamabad High Court challenging registration of cases against him by the Federal Investigation Agency, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Swati filed a petition in the high court against filing of cases against him. It is stated in the petition that the FIA registered cases against him under the PECA laws. But Swati was already released on bail in other such cases. 

The petition states that the PTI senator was made subject to the worst kind of torture during detention. 

The petition further states that Swati has got intelligence that he might be killed during custody. Any inhuman treatment could be meted out to the senator.

The petition says that when Swati was presented before the court, it was revealed that the case was registered in Quetta. Cases against him have also been registered in different police stations in Sindh.  

The petition implores the court to seek details of all cases against Swati and ask authorities to ensure basic human rights in this case. It also beseeches the court to direct authorities to stop shifting of Swati to another place. 

The federal government, FIA, and inspector generals of Sindh and Balochistan have been made respondents in the petition.

PTI Chief Imran Khan in a series of tweets lamented the registration of cases against Azam Swati while asking judges if Article 14 of our Constitution which refers to the ‘inviolability of dignity of man’ is only applicable to the powerful of the state and for everyone else there is no protection of their basic human dignity. 

Imran tweeted: “Article 14 of our Constitution refers to "Inviolability of dignity of man"; so my question to our Honourable SC Judges is whether this provision is only applicable to the powerful of the State & for everyone else there is no protection of their basic human dignity?

“Senator Swati was stripped naked, tortured, humiliated through an illegal video sent to his wife. For weeks he has sought justice from SC to no avail. So when he reacts in justifiable anger & frustration, he is put in jail & at last count 15 FIRs registered against him across Pak.

“Again, I ask our Honourable judges where is the justice in all this? Is the Article 14 Constitutional provision only to be applied selectively for the high & mighty State functionaries?

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1597133255467503616

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1597133261934764032

Senate body raises objections to Swati’s medical report

Meanwhile, the issue of torture on Swati was discussed in the meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights. 

During the meeting, senators raised objection to the medical board formed to examine Swati’s physical health. 

Senator Muhammad Hamayun Mehmand said that there was no forensic expert in the medico legal. 

However, the committee chairman read out PIMS medical board’s report of Swati which declared the physical condition of the senator quite sound. 

A four-member committee prepared the medical report. 

Senator Dr Mehr Taj said that the medical board performed its job correctly but due to absence of a forensic expert and a psychologist in it, the report did not carry any importance. 

Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani