October 13, 2022 – The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Khan Swati for tweeting against state institutions, including the army chief, it emerged on Thursday.
The FIR, a copy of which is available with Digital Rights Monitor (DRM), was registered at the FIA’s Cybercrime Wing on Thursday in Islamabad. It describes Swati’s tweet as “a highly obnoxious and intimidating message” against state institutions, including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa. The tweet was posted on Wednesday evening after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz were acquitted in a Rs16 billion money laundering case brought by the FIA.
“Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you,” reads Swati’s tweet. “Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country . With these thugs getting free You have legitimise corruption . How you predict now the future of this country?”
Mr Bajwa congratulations to you and few with you . Your plan is really working and all criminals are getting free at cost of this country . With these thugs getting free You have legitimise corruption . How you predict now the future of this country ? pic.twitter.com/uZgHQjZ7lJ
— Senator Azam Khan Swati (@AzamKhanSwatiPk) October 12, 2022
Swati has been booked under Section 20 (offences against dignity of a natural person) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, also known as PECA, Sections 109 (punishment of abetment), 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier from his duty), 500 (punishment for defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
“Such intimidating tweet/s of blaming and naming through Twitter account, i.e., @AzamKhanSwatiPK, is a mischievous act of subversion to create a rift between personnel/s of the armed forces and an attempt to harm the state of Pakistan,” states the FIR. “Through the aforementioned tweet, the accused undermined the judicial system of the country and also attempted to seduce army personnel/s from their allegiance to their duties as subordinates.”
The FIA termed Swati’s tweet a “calculated attempt to create hatred in the mind of people and army personnel against COAS”.
An Islamabad sessions court has sent Swati on a two-day physical remand, according to latest reports. The PTI leader is to be produced before the court on october 15. Complaints of Swati being subjected to torture in custody have also emerged, prompting strong reactions from PTI leaders such as Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Shireen Mazari.
Reports of torture on Azam Swati are disturbing torturing political prisoners has has become a new normal in Pakistan.
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) October 13, 2022
Brave man Senator Azam Swati as he tells of why he was arrested but also how he was subjected to torture while in custody. Shameful. @DrAliceJEdwards @hrw @amnesty @nchrofficial #ReleaseAzamSwati
#PakistanUnderFascism pic.twitter.com/FnlGVSnpu3— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) October 13, 2022
Swati’s arrest is being roundly condemned online.
