BHC orders quashing all FIRs against Azam Swati in Balochistan

The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday directed to quash all first information reports (FIRs) lodged against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Khan Swati across the province, Aaj News reported.

Justice Abdul Hameed Baloch issued the directives during the hearing of a petition filed by the senator’s son, Usman Swati, seeking the charges against his father to be dismissed.

Swati was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on November 27 in a case related to controversial tweets against the military leadership.

This was the second time in less than two months that Swati was arrested over controversial tweets about senior military leaders.

The arrest came after the FIA booked him in a case registered under Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 (Peca), which deals with offenses against the dignity of a person.

A number of first information reports (FIRs) were also registered against him in Balochistan and Sindh for using “derogatory language” and “provoking the people against the army" after which he was handed over to Balochistan police.

On December 6, the BHC ordered police not to register more cases on the same charges against Swati and sought details of all cases registered so far against the PTI leader in the province.

During the hearing today, Swati’s counsel Naseebullah Tareen appeared on behalf of the senator’s son.

After reviewing the petition, the court ordered authorities to quash all cases registered against the senator in Balochistan.

Arrests over tweets

In October, Swati was arrested for posting tweets against state institutions but let go.

A few weeks later, the FIA arrested him again over a case related to a controversial tweet against senior military officials.

An FIR was registered by the FIA on the complaint of the state through Islamabad Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Technical Assistant Aneesur Rehman. Separate FIRs were registered against the senator in Balochistan and Sindh as well.

Following his arrest, PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid petitioned the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice regarding Swati's “political victimization”.

The petition asked for immediate notice to be taken on the “illegal arrest” of the senator and the “violation of the privacy of his home."

It claimed that Swati was tortured in front of his wife and kids, as well as during the custody of the FIA.