PAKISTAN TODAY

 

AZAM SWATI UNDER CUSTODY OF SINDH’S QAMBAR POLICE

Two cases against PTI leader Azam Swati were registered, stated the senior supervisor of Police Saddam Hussein Khaskheli. The cases resulted in Swati taken into custody at Sukkur airport and he will be presented before court on December 15^th. Due to his controversial tweets against state institution, he was arrested on November 27^th and flown to Quetta. Baluchistan’s High Court cancelled the five cases registered against him, however, hours later he was taken into custody.

Azam Swati arrested for tweets against army chief

Swati’s lawyer (Advocate Iqbal Shah) also stated that he was flown to Sindh through a flight on Friday and confirmed the registration of two cases against him for the use of abusive language. The FIRs (first information reports) plea that he was involved in the infringement of peace, statements that led to public harm, promoting hate between groups, treason; violating 5 sections (504, 505, 153A, 124A, and 123A) of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

He further stated that they will carry on their petition against these cases in the high court. On the other hand, CDA (Capital Development Authority) has sealed Azam Swati’s farmhouse due to violation of laws. CDA said that the building’s basement was against the law as it was not allowed to be built under the building plan approved on 7^th May 2015 initially. The first notice against stated concern was issued in 2016 against Swati and then after a survey conducted on the farmhouse, an observation against the violations were also conveyed on 29^th November 2018.

A final police notice was issued against Swati on 16^th November for sealing the farmhouse if the violation were not taken care of within seven days. Swati approached court for a restraining order till 30^th November. After hearings held on 6^th, 8^th and 9^th December, there was a delay in the ban of farmhouse till 9^th December 2022.

The reason behind Swati’s arrest was FIR (First information report) registered by (FIA) Federal Investigation Agency on state’s complaint through Aneesur Rehman (Cyber-crime reporting center’s technical assistant). This complaint was registered under section 20 of Prevention of electronic crime act 2016 (PECA) which deals with the wellbeing of a person. Further, five sections (131, 500, 501, 505, and 109) of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) were also touched upon which included punishment for defamation, attempting to seduce a soldier from his duty, statement resulting in public hate, printing of offensive content and encouraging someone to do something illegal or wrong. Azam Swati was brought from Islamabad to Quetta at Kuchlak police station due to one similar case registered.

The judicial magistrate of Kuchlak has imprisoned Swati for five days. On Friday, Baluchistan’s High Court ordered the cancellation of all five cases registered against him. However, after certain hours he was handed over to the Sindh police.

Justice Mohammed Kareem Khan agha the two-judge bench asked for detail of the case to be submitted to him till 22nd December which is the next date of the hearing.