Azam Swati seeks transfer of cases to Islamabad in plea to SC

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: PTI Senator Azam Khan Swati on Thursday moved the Supreme Court via a plea for the transfer of all the controversial tweets' cases against him registered in Sindh and Balochistan to Islamabad.

The PTI leader is facing charges of libel for using foul language against military officers in his tweets. He was detained for the second time in a new case on November 27, since his arrest in the first case of controversial tweets against senior military officers. Swati is currently in police custody on physical remand till December 3.

The plea was filed by Swati's lawyer Babar Awan, which nominated the federation, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director-general and inspector-generals of police (IGPs) of Sindh and Balochistan as respondents.

It stated that the federal agency arrested Swati in a false case and multiple other cases were registered against him across the country.

Swati claimed that he faces a security threat when appearing for cases registered against him in different parts of the country.

In such a case, the senator appealed to the apex court to order the consolidation and transfer of his cases registered in Sindh and Balochistan to Islamabad.

The senator also appealed to the court that the "operation of FIRs" registered against him be suspended till his plea is heard.

"The petitioner invokes Constitutional jurisdiction of this Honourable Court inter alia on the question of larger public importance and seeks the remedy of transferring all the FIR's at once place/jurisdiction to enable the petitioner to effectively defend himself," stated the petition.

Yasmin Rashid files plea against Swati's arrest

Meanwhile, another plea was filed in the apex court's Lahore registry by PTI leader Yasmin Rashid against Swati's arrest. 

Rashid termed the arrest "illegal" and claimed that the senator was arrested on political grounds.

"Action should be taken against those responsible for Azam Swati's arrest," read the petition.

It added that his family was ill-treated and a notice should be taken against this act. It also asked to ensure the sanctity of the house.

The PTI leader also said that the women will protest against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah's treatment of women.

"We are hopeful that the chief justice would give us justice," she said, adding that she will also file a plea against JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.