Controversial tweets case: FIA gets four-day extension in Azam Swati’s physical remand

A local court of Islamabad Tuesday extended the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Senator Azam Khan Swati by another four days.

Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the case against Azam Swati pertaining to insulting institutions through tweets.

During the proceeding, Swati’s counsel Babar Awan argued that there were threats to his client’s life and pleaded exemption from proceedings.

In light of this, the court allowed Azam Swati’s virtual appearance in proceedings.

However, the court extended Senator’s physical remand till December 3.

Background

In a sequence of messages posted on the social media site Twitter, Swati, who is currently out on bail for posting controversial tweets against the armed forces, reacted to a tweet posted by a Twitter user.

He abused senior military officers, including outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and another senior officer.

Swati said that a senior military officer ‘will have to pay the price’ and that ‘he will go against him on every forum’.

He was also arrested under the same provisions the last month.

On October 13, the FIA had raid Swati’s house in Chak Shehzad, Islamabad at 3am and arrested him.

FIA booked him for inciting people against the chief of army staff through controversial tweets.

The senator has been granted bail in the case against surety bonds worth Rs1 million.