On Monday, the Sindh High Court (SHC) enjoined provincial police from arresting Senator Azam Swati of the PTI in fresh instances, while also requesting details of the cases already recorded against him in the province.
The court announced its directions during a hearing on the petition submitted by the senator’s son, Usman Swati, to have the allegations against the PTI leader dismissed.
The Federal Investigation Agency arrested Swati on November 27 for a “very offensive campaign of intimidating tweets […] against state institutions.” Since then, she has been detained and continues to face legal action. Currently, he is in police custody in Qambar Shahdakot.
During today’s session, the attorney for the petitioner said that the Balochistan High Court (BHC) had dismissed all complaints filed against the senator in Balochistan.
Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha questioned Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon, who was present at today’s hearing, about the charges against Swati. Additionally, he questioned the registration of many cases in various places under a single charge.
The prosecutor general of Sindh requested further time from the court to acquire the necessary evidence. However, Justice Agha denied the plea, stating that no additional time would be granted and that all relevant senior superintendents of police would be required to appear at the next hearing to provide an update.
“A case will be filed against you if you do not provide all data to the court,” the judge warned the Sindh police head.
The court also requested the English transcripts of all provincial FIRs filed against the senator and deferred the case to December 14. (Wednesday).
Arrests over tweets
In October, the FIA arrested Swati for allegedly tweeting provocative tweets criticizing the armed forces. She was eventually released on bail.
Since then, the senator has claimed he was tortured in detention and demanded the dismissal of two military officials, one of whom he insulted in a tweet on November 26.
The FIA arrested Swati for the second time on November 27 due to her “very offensive campaign of frightening tweets […] against governmental institutions.”
The arrest occurred after the FIA filed a First Information Report (FIR) in response to a complaint from the state via Islamabad Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Technical Assistant Aneesur Rehman.
The complaint was filed under Section 20 of Peca as well as Sections 131 (abetting mutiny or attempting to seduce a soldier away from his duty), 500 (punishment for defamation), 501 (defamation and printing of content deemed defamatory), Section 505 (statement promoting public disorder), and Section 109 (abetting).
The Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority barred Azam’s media coverage on all satellite TV networks following his detention in November.
Separate FIRs were also launched in Balochistan and Sindh against the PTI leader.
After the expiration of his initial 14-day remand, Swati was transported from Islamabad to Quetta on December 2 and booked into the Kuchlak police station. The judicial magistrate of Kuchlak subsequently placed Swati in police custody for five days.
The Balochistan High Court ordered the dismissal of all five cases filed against him in the province on Friday.
However, the PTI senator was turned over to the Sindh police hours after the order was made.
The following day, two other cases were filed against Swati in Balochistan.
The cases were registered under Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (statements conducive to public mischief), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc.), 124A (sedition), and 123A (condemning the establishment of the State and advocating its abolition) of the PPC.
On Islamabad’s Murree Road, the Capital Development Authority has also sealed Swati’s farmhouse for alleged violations of building codes.
