CJ to take up petition today: Fearing his death in custody, Swati moves IHC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Senator Azam Khan Swati on Monday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) fearing his custodial killing.

A single bench of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq will hear on Tuesday (today), Swati’s petition challenging the cases filed against him for tweeting against the senior military officers and wherein he has also expressed fear of his custodial killing.

The PTI senator has cited the Federation through the Secretary of Interior Ministry, Director General (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Sindh Inspector General (IG) Ghulam Nabi Memon, Balochistan IG Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, and the state as respondents.

He requested the court to direct the first four respondents to adhere to the “lego-constitutional and fundamental rights” of the petitioner as well as present the details of the FIRs registered against him throughout the country.

The petitioner also prayed before the court to direct the Interior Ministry secretary and the FIA DG not to shift him outside the court’s jurisdiction. It further said that the petitioner had “reliable information and strong apprehension of his custodial killing”.

He further said that in addition to his private moments being filmed and sent to the children of the family, the petitioner is being subjected to every possible inhumane treatment. He stated that the “malicious campaign” against the petitioner was “life-threatening and hazardous” and was ongoing.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that it was impossible for his client to know the exact number of cases registered against him on singular allegations. He added that as a result, Swati was unable to engage with lawyers and protect himself which was a blatant violation of his fundamental rights.

He informed the court that the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) filed a case against him under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). In his petition, the senator said that he was subjected to the worst torture while in custody. “Azam Swati can be subjected to any sort of inhuman treatment,” read the petition. The PTI leader maintained that basic human rights should be ensured in his matter.

A day earlier, Swati was arrested and sent on a two-day physical remand for using foul language for the army chief and other senior military officers from his farmhouse located in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad. He was arrested by the FIA’s Cybercrime Wing. The senator was arrested under Sections 500, 501, 505, and 109.

He was also arrested under the same provisions last month.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022