SC rubbishes Swati’s claim

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Sunday clarified that Senator Azam Swati had never stayed at the Supreme Court Judges Rest House in Quetta but the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex), which is not under the control of the court.

The rebuttal comes in the wake of claims by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) senator that he had stayed at the judicial lodges in Quetta where his objectionable video with his wife was made and later sent to his family. Recalling the visit, he said Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had arranged for their stay at the judicial lodges.

Responding to Swati’s claims, a press release of the court clarified that the senator had “never used/stayed in Supreme Court Judges Rest House at Quetta”, adding that according to the Balochistan Special Branch, he had stayed at the Balochistan Judicial Academy (Judicial Complex Quetta), which is not under the court’s control. “The Supreme Court Judges Rest House, Quetta, is being managed and supervised by the Registrar’s Office, Supreme Court of Pakistan, and is meant for the use of serving and former judges of the court,” it added.

Reacting to the court statement, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry claimed the registrar had tried to console the judges of the Supreme Court that there were no cameras in their rooms. “The poor registrar tried to console the judges of the Supreme Court that sir, these are adjacent rooms. No cameras are installed in your rooms. What is the condition of the country where the Prime Minister’s Office becomes Ghanta Ghar Chowk,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani formed a 14-member special committee to probe the alleged video. The committee includes senators Azam Nazeer Tarar, Mohsin Aziz, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Abdul Ghafoor Hyderi, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Faisal Subzwari, Tahir Bizenjo, Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Mushtaq Ahmed, Muhammad Qasim, Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Hidayat Ullah, Kamil Ali Agha and Dilawar Khan.

A notification said the committee would inquire into the leak from every aspect. The members of the committee will decide on the convener by themselves. The Senate chairman directed the committee to submit a report in 30 days.