Islamabad: An MP from Imran Khan’s party has been arrested for tweeting against Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Pakistan. PTI MP Azam Swati was stripped and beaten after his arrest. The MP, who was arrested during his court appearance, has accused the police of excessive force and assault. Pakistan Media Report has said that PTI Senator Azam Swati has been arrested for tweeting against the institutions of the country including the Army Chief. In her tweet, MP Swati questioned General Bajwa regarding the acquittal of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz in the money laundering case. In response, the police registered an FIR against the PTI MP, alleging that he had tweeted objections against the institutions of the country, including the Army Chief.
What did MP Azam Swati write in the tweet?
Azam Swati wrote in his tweet that congratulations Mr. Bajwa and some others with you. Your plan is really working and all criminals are going free at the cost of this country. By letting these thugs go free, you have legitimized corruption. Now how do you predict the future of this country. After appearing in court, the arrested PTI MP said that he was not arrested for breaking the law, violating the constitution or fundamental rights. He said that he was arrested for taking the name of “Bajwa”. And this is a violation of the law. When the MP was asked who arrested him, he said that the FIA team caught him. The MP alleged that he was harassed by agencies.
What is written in the FIR registered against the PTI MP
An FIR filed at the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Center in Islamabad stated that Swati had tweeted with malicious intent and ulterior motives against the state institutions of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its senior officials. The intention was to defame government officials including the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. The FIR stated that such threatening tweets of accusations and naming by the Twitter account i.e. @AzamKhanSwatiPK are an attempt to create a rift among the personnel and officers of the armed forces and harm Pakistan. It has been alleged that such people are undermining the judicial system of the country and trying to incite army personnel against their officers.
What happened during the court appearance
Babar Awan, Sardar Masuf Khan and Qaisar Jadoon appeared on behalf of PTI MP Azam Swati before the Islamabad Sessions Court of Senior Civil Judge Shabbir Bhati. Meanwhile, the FIA had demanded the remand of MP Azam Swati for 8 days in the court. On which Swati’s lawyers argued that her arrest was based on political hatred. He also alleged that he was tortured during late night detention. The court then sent Swati on physical remand for two days and ordered that the PTI leader be taken for a medical checkup before and after the remand period. He directed the officials to produce Swati before the court on October 15. The court, in its written order, said that Swati had complained of harassment after being arrested at 3 am on Thursday. The FIA told the court that a technical probe of Swati’s Twitter account would also be conducted. The court said that Swati has been remanded for two days for further investigation and recovery of her other social media accounts.
There was a ruckus after the arrest of the PTI MP
After the MP’s arrest, Imran Khan’s party has opened a front against the Shahbaz Sharif government. Former minister and PTI leader Choudhary tweeted that the news of Swati being tortured was disturbing. Torture of political prisoners has become a new thing in Pakistan. Shireen Mazhari, who was the Human Rights Minister during PTI’s tenure, tweeted a video accusing Azam Swati of custodial torture. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister and PTI leader Taimur Jhagra demanded Swati’s release.