Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Khan Swati’s farmhouse in Islamabad’s Chak Shahzad area has been sealed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Geo News reported Saturday.
CDA officials said the property was sealed on Friday for violation of house-building laws. A final notice against the illegal construction of the farmhouse had been issued to Swati’s wife last month.
However, the recent development came after the PTI leader’s arrest by Sindh police from Quetta on Friday. Swati — who is booked in separate cases of libel for using foul language against military officers in his tweets — will be shifted to Sindh where two cases were registered against him, under a transit remand.
The politician’s lawyer Iqbal Shah told sources that even though the Balochistan High Court ordered the septuagenarian senator’s release, the province’s police handed over his custody to the Sindh police.
Senator Swati will be shifted to the country’s southernmost province via a special aircraft, Shah told sources.
PTI leader Qasim Khan Suri also confirmed the development denouncing the Sindh government’s action “regretful” in the wake of the BHC’s order favouring the senator.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly also posted a plea made by Swati’s daughter questioning the country’s rule of law.
‘Govt decides to suspend passport, CNIC’
According to a Daily Jang report, the government has decided to “suspend” Azam Swati’s passport and CNIC.
The report, citing sources, stated that NADRA will act on the recommendation of the Federal Investigation Agency.
Controversial tweets cases
Swati is booked in multiple cases across the country — as stated by his lawyer during a hearing in an Islamabad court — for his controversial tweets. However, the Balochistan High Court has issued the directives not to register any more cases against Swati and cancel all existing FIRs against him.
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 once again arrested Swati for using abusive language against the top military brass, including the former army chief.
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, following his detention for a second time in the controversial tweets case. He was then shifted to Quetta under a transit remand acquired by the Balochistan police.
PTI has been condemning his arrest and “torture” under custody, while Swati also approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC), fearing “custodial killing”.
His latest arrest by Balochistan police was condemned by former prime minister Imran Khan.
He claimed that despite “severe chest pain and breathing issues” Swati was taken away from the hospital by Quetta police and moved to an unknown location, “endangering his life”.
