Azam Swati moves IHC seeking bail in controversial tweets case

• Swati is 75 years old and a heart patient, states petition.
• Swati committed the same crime twice, the court verdict read.
• Trial court rejected Swati's bail plea on December 21.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati on Saturday filed a post-arrest bail plea in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the controversial tweets case filed against him.

Trial court judge Azam Khan dismissed the PTI leader's bail plea on December 21, saying Swati committed the same offence twice.

PTI leader and lawyer Babar Awan filed the bail plea in IHC on behalf of Azam Swati.

In the application, Swati stated that he did not post derogatory remarks against any institutions. He added that the prosecution has no proof against him despite the investigation.

The application read that the senator is 75 years old and a heart patient; jailing him would be a sentence without conviction as all evidence against him is documentary.

Trial court rejects Swati's bail plea

On December 21, Islamabad Special Judge Central Azam Khan rejected Azam Swati's bail plea saying he committed the same crime twice.

During the hearing, prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi explained to the court the process of verifying a Twitter account. He added that Swati has a “blue tick” on his Twitter account and is followed by famous personalities.

“Famous journalists and political personalities follow Azam Swati," said the lawyer. He added that the senator has never distanced himself from the account.

“There is no question that the Twitter account is not of Azam Swati,” said Abbasi.

While concluding his arguments, the prosecutor and government lawyer urged the court not to grant bail to the senator in the case.

On the other hand, the PTI senator’s lawyer, Sohail Khan, contended that FIA could not register a cybercrime case over screenshots.

Controversial tweets cases

Swati is booked in multiple cases across the country for his controversial tweets against senior military officers.

Initially, the senator was arrested by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) on October 14 after he posted a highly-hateful and threatening message against the army chief, judiciary, and other state institutions on his official Twitter account.

The senator had secured bail in that case. But on November 27, FIA again arrested Swati for using abusive language against the top military brass, including the former army chief.

The senator was booked in multiple cases related to those tweets across the country.

On December 2, Balochistan police arrested Swati for a similar case registered against him in Quetta.

At the time of his arrest, he was already on judicial remand in Adiala Jail and was shifted to Quetta under a transit remand acquired by the Balochistan police.

Later, Balochistan High Court (BHC) ordered the quashing of all cases registered against the senator in the province.

Once BHC issued the order, the Sindh Police took the senator into custody over the issue of controversial tweets.

The senator then approached the Sindh High Court. The court also directed the quashing of all cases against the senator.

Following the orders, Islamabad Police took the senator into its custody and brought him to the federal capital.