Pakistan: Azam Swati arrested by FIA

Islamabad, Oct 14 (Bureau) Senior PTI leader Senator Azam Khan Swati’s two-day physical remand was approved by a district and sessions court following his arrest over his alleged “controversial” tweets. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) took Swati into custody from his home in Islamabad earlier, and presented him before senior civil judge Shabbir Bhatti’s court in the federal capital, Geo news reported. The agency’s cybercrime wing registered a case against Swati late Wednesday night over the “controversial” tweets. The PTI leader, soon after his arrest was presented before senior civil judge Shabbir Bhatti’s court in the federal capital.

PTI’s lawyer Ali Bukhari represented Swati in court. At the outset of the court proceeding, the FIA officials requested the court to grant a seven-day physical remand of Swati for investigation. However, Swati’s counsel claimed that the “worst” torture was inflicted upon the senator. They stressed that Swati has been arrested only on “political grounds”.Later, the court partially accepted the FIA’s plea, granting a two-day physical remand of Swati. Swati is the third senior leader of the Imran Khan-led PTI who has been arrested by the FIA after Saifullah Khan Nyazee and Hamid Zaman. However, Nyazee and Zaman are being probed for their alleged involvement in the prohibited funding to the party. PTI Secretary General Asad Umar condemned the move and demanded that Swati be released immediately.