“This is how a member of the National Assembly is being treated! Such treatment wasn’t even meted out to Kulbhushan (Jadhav) or Ehsanullah Ehsan,” tweeted PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry, drawing parallels with the Indian spy currently in Pakistani custody and former TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan.

“Can’t get worse than this,” was veteran journalist Mubashir Zaidi’s succinct take on the issue.

Swati, who was elected from NA-13 Mansehra, was arrested from outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Islamabad Friday right after Imran Khan’s disqualification verdict.

The Islamabad police said that Swati was arrested for ordering his gunmen, two Khyber Pakhtunkhwa policemen, for firing at police in order to create a law and order situation.

The Islamabad police also tweeted a video in which an Islamabad policeman can be seen grabbing a sub-machine gun.

Other videos showed Islamabads police personnel beating the policemen, while another video showed the KP cop saying he was willing to die from Imran Khan.

In a separate video, uploaded by the Voice of America, an Islamabad policeman can be seen asking about Swati. When a man sends him in that direction, he grabs Swati along with fellow officers and bundle him in the back of a police vehicle.

The video has been repeatedly posted in response to the Islamabad police’s Twitter post announcing Swati’s arrest. He has been charged with terrorism, attempted murder, violation of Section 144, and abetment.

“It is shameful to humiliate anyone like this. But it is even more shocking to see Saleh Muhamad Khan being mistreated like this,” wrote MNA Mohsin Dawar, who has been on the wrong end of police brutality on several occasions.

For another user, the release of the mugshot was a sign that Islamabad police had said farewell to professionalism, with all their efforts geared towards “pleasing their masters”.

Another said such behaviour was making a mockery of the more than 100,000 people who voted for Swati in the last general election. A user, visibly a PTI supporter, urged the Islamabad police to focus on crime instead of sychophancy while sharing visuals of the bloodied policemen.

PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur was unequivocal in his condemnation while delivering a message to the Islamabad police chief that could be construed as menacing.

“…tell your subordinates they are not above the law. I have saved the video and they should be ready for their turn soon,” he tweeted.