Senator Azam Khan Swati of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was sent on a two-day physical remand in another case regarding controversial tweets after being arrested early Sunday morning.
Swati was detained by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for the second time after a new case was registered against him for making controversial tweets against General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Major General Naseer.
The FIA had requested Swati’s physical remand for eight days. Swati was taken into custody from his farmhouse located in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad.
Reacting to the arrest of the senator, PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted that he was “shocked”.
“I am shocked and appalled at how rapidly we are descending into not just a banana republic but a fascist state. How can anyone not understand the pain and suffering Senator Swati underwent with custodial torture and blackmailing video of him and his conservative wife sent to his family?” asked Khan on his party lawmaker’s arrest.
Khan said that Swati’s “justifiable anger and frustration at the injustice meted out to him especially the doors of Supreme Court remaining closed to him despite over a fortnight of appeals by senators in support of him”.
“So he tweets and is arrested again. Everyone must raise their voice against this state fascism,” said the PTI chief.
Swati hurled cuss words at outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and used offensive language against Major General Faisal Naseer.
The PTI senator called out the name of Major General Naseer and threatened him that he would have to pay the price.
“I will go against Major General Naseer at every platform. I will use every legal and moral forum against him,” Swati said in a social media post.
Last month, FIA took Swati into custody from his home in Islamabad and presented him before a court after he tweeted against General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
The senator has been granted bail in the case against surety bonds worth Rs1 million.
