An Islamabad court on Thursday sent PTI Senator Azam Swati to judicial remand for 14 days till December 15.
Earlier this week, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had arrested Swati – for the second time in less than two months – for “the most despicable campaign of threatening tweets against state institutions”.
Separate FIRs were also registered against the PTI leader in Balochistan and Sindh for using “derogatory language” and “inciting people against the army”. After the arrest, the Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned media coverage of Azam Swati on all satellite TV channels.
Earlier, the court had extended PTI senator’s physical remand till December 3 by 4 days.
However, the FIA on Thursday requested Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Bashir to send Swati to jail, saying the agency has completed its investigation.
The investigating officer said that no further investigation was required.
Later, the judge accepted the plea of FIA and sent Azam Swati to jail on 14-day judicial remand. He further directed the police to produce Swati in court on December 15.
PTI requested the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of Azam Swati’s arrest.
PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid on Thursday requested the Supreme Court to arrest PTI Senator Azam Swati by “filing a series of politically motivated cases and FIRs (First Information Reports)”. Take notice on your own about “political hunting”.
The petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, demanded immediate notice of Swati’s “illegal arrest” and violation of the privacy of “[her] home”.
The leader lamented in the petition that Swati was re-arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on November 27 and a “series of FIRs” were registered against her, which Sughran Bibi said in the petition. It was declared against the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of A case of 2018
Citing Article 14 (violation of human dignity) of the Constitution, the petition questioned its applicability – a question raised earlier by party chief Imran Khan.
It claimed that the senator was tortured in front of his wife and children, as well as being tortured while in FIA custody by people named in his press conferences.
The petition warned that there was “serious and imminent danger to Swati’s life” and asked for “adequate arrangements to be made for her safety”.
Referring to the cases of news anchors Hamid Mir and Dr. Shahid Masood, they argued that freedom of expression was extended to those cases, but the relevant Article 19 was made the reason for Swati’s arrest.
He further complained about the illegal video recording of Swati with his wife who “took off everyone’s clothes”.
The petition asked that all incidents from his first arrest to his second arrest be investigated and those responsible, including FIA personnel, be “held accountable”.
‘Our privacy is at risk’
Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court Lahore Registry, Rashid reiterated the allegations of alleged custodial torture on Swati and the leaked offensive video, which left all the women bowing their heads in shame.
He said that the imported government should be ashamed. Our privacy is at risk.”
Addressing Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, he said that we have all the records of how you assaulted women. Rashid also said that “there is no worse person than Maulana Fazlur Rehman” and the party will ensure that he is punished.
Recalling the police action during PTI’s long march on May 25, he quipped that when Imran asked to dissolve the assemblies, the government refused.
He further said that I hope that the Chief Justice will take action on his own.
Rashid along with other women activists protested at Lahore’s GPO Chowk in solidarity with Swati and her family and against the “humiliation of women”.
GPO چوک میں سینیٹر اعظم سواتی اور ان کے اہلخانہ کے ساتھ اظہار یکہجتی اور سپریم کورٹ رجسٹری میں عورتوں کی تذلیل کے خلاف پٹیشن دائر کرنے کے لیے بھرپور احتجاج۔
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 1, 2022
pic.twitter.com/NLFFnwM3BE
GPO چوک میں سینیٹر اعظم سواتی اور ان کے اہلخانہ کے ساتھ اظہار یکہجتی اور سپریم کورٹ رجسٹری میں عورتوں کی تذلیل کے خلاف پٹیشن دائر کرنے کے لیے بھرپور احتجاج۔ pic.twitter.com/1SZCqN0eFM
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 1, 2022
