The physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf PTI) Senator Azam Swati was extended till December 3 by an Islamabad court on Tuesday over the case related to a controversial tweet against senior military officials, it was reported.

During the hearing, in which Swati did not appear, Babar Awan, the PTI leader's lawyer, told Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Bashir that the senator should be exempted from appearing in court as he is facing life threats.

FIA again arrests Senator Azam Swati over controversial tweets

Judge Bashir directed the authorities concerned to present Swati in court via video link for the next hearing.

Meanwhile, Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) counsel requested the court to extend the senator's remand for six more days, adding that further investigation was required into Swati's mobile phone and Twitter account.

The court granted FIA physical remand for four more days, instead of six.

Last week, FIA arrested Swati for the second time in less than two months.

A first information (FIR) report was registered by the FIA on the complaint of the state through Islamabad Cyber Crime Reporting Centre (CCRC) Technical Assistant Aneesur Rehman.

Swati’s arrest: IK openly expresses pent-up anger

In October, Swati was arrested for posting tweets against state institutions. After his arrest, Mazari wrote open letters to world human rights bodies, demanding his release.

“Pakistan has been engulfed in a political crisis in the aftermath of a ‘regime change scheme’ to remove the government of PM Khan and replace it with a combined opposition government with a bloated cabinet comprising primarily of members out on bail,” she wrote.

In August 2022, former special assistant to the prime minister for political communication Dr Shahbaz Gill was arrested by Islamabad Police outside Banigala Chowk for “making statements against state institutions and inciting the people to rebellion”.